Just Married
by Goku's Donut
Summary: Chi-Chi would have never guessed she would have two weddings in her lifetime. She wants to salvage her marriage, but the law just won't allow it. Does Goku love her enough to stay with her, or does the thrill for adventure mean more to him? [Hiatus]
1. Death Did We Part

The story is based on a paragraph titled "Marriage" in a story called "_Reflections of a Time Well Spent_" by **Throughrye**. I recommend you guys read this, for those who are Goku and Chi-Chi fans.

Thanks goes out to my beta-reader **Aethena**! I love you so much! :D

I don't own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, or Dragon Ball GT. Nor do I own the first sentence to the summary.

...

Chi-Chi hummed quietly to herself, her attention completely divulged in fulfilling the task at hand - preparing lunch for her boys.

The day had started off fairly early; Goten had awaken before everyone, barreling throughout the house with a spark of energy and headed straight for their bedroom, but not without waking up his big brother first. It had been like this for awhile now. Ever since the defeat of the evil and twisted fiend Majin Buu, the family had opted to spend some well-deserved time together. Goku hadn't been able to go a day without being bombarded by his sons, Goten especially, not that the Saiyan had a problem with it.

Even now, Goku was out with Goten and Gohan on a father-son fishing trip. They had been planning the small bonding trip for awhile now (it had been the reason behind their youngest son's early morning charade). They had planned to include camping into their cleared schedule, but Chi-Chi disapproved, much to Goten's dismay, suggesting that they all go as a family instead. Goku agreed, steering their son's unhappy mood to bristling excitement, Gohan being just as ecstatic about the ordeal as his brother.

And now Chi-Chi was busying herself with fixing a hearty meal for her husband and children. A knock from the front door disturbed Chi-Chi from her musings.

"Just a minute!" she called, placing a large tray of assorted sandwiches on the kitchen table, her ebony eyes darting to the pot of bubbling soup on the stove. Quickly, she adjusted the fire to a low heat, wiping her sullied hands on her apron before heading to the door. _Back already?_ Chi-Chi thought._ But the boys aren't due back for another half-hour or so._

She opened the door, gracing her presence was a clean, tall man, his height equivalent to that of her eldest son. Dirty blond locks sat in a parted wave and piercing blue eyes scrutinized her carefully. He was dressed in formal attire and in his hand was a small black briefcase.

"May I help you?" Chi-Chi asked.

The man dug in his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. "Is this 439 East District?"

"Listen mister, whatever it is you're selling, I'm not interested."

Seemingly panicked by the woman's sharp tone, the man sent her a reassuring smile. "I assure you Lady Chi-Chi; I'm not here to sell you anything; not at all."

Chi-Chi bit back a retort, her eyebrows rising at the formality used in her name. "Excuse me, but did you just address me as "_Lady_" Chi-Chi?"

As the man placed a hand over his heart, his smile grew in size and he bowed. "Oh, but of course. It's required of me to refer to the Princess of Ox-Kingdom with nothing but the utmost respect."

"I'm flattered, but I must object," Chi-Chi responded with an awkward smile. "I've long since relinquished my title as princess. I'm married now."

The man raised his head at her statement, but his smile did not falter. Instead, he simply shook his head in protest. "I apologize for the intrusion, but may I come inside for a more ... _proper_ discussion?" he inquired.

For a spare second, Chi-Chi regarded the stranger with a skeptical gaze; however, before she allowed him entry into her home, she asked him, "May I ask your name?"

As if the blond was caught red-handed, he fixed her with a flabbergasted expression. "Where are my manners? My name is Sir Suita," he replied, reaching for her hand. Immediately, Chi-Chi recoiled, sending him a reassuring smile.

"That's not necessary, Mr. Suita. But I appreciate the gesture," she responded, peeling the door open. "Please, enter. You can have a seat at the table; just give me a minute to clear it. In the meantime, can I interest you in a cup of coffee or tea?"

"Tea is fine, thank you," he answered as he stepped inside, his piercing azure eyes scrutinizing the house in a calculating gaze. He watched out of the corner of his eye as the princess all but barreled into the kitchen, ridding the table of its contents as she began her work in preparing his drink.

He walked, albeit slowly, to his seat before stating, "What a lovely home."_ Small, but lovely nonetheless,_ he thought, taking a seat at the table, but not without catching a glimpse of the pictures on the stand, particularly the picture of Chi-Chi and her husband's wedding.

"Thank you," Chi-Chi responded, her back to the man whose face was contorted into a half-smile, half-frown.

"If you don't mind my asking Lady Chi-Chi, why is it that a woman such as yourself not living in a castle?"

Chi-Chi paused in her task for a brief second and replied, "As I've stated earlier, I'm no longer living the lifestyle of a princess. I am nothing more than a simple housewife."

Eyes wide and in shock, Suita sputtered, "A _housewife_? But you're a princess! Surely, Lady Chi-Chi, you've married a suitable husband. Princesses aren't meant to be _housewives_!"

"I believe the correct term is "were"," she countered, placing a cup of steaming tea in front of him, taking a seat from across him. "And Goku is a very suitable husband. I gladly took up the responsibility of caring for my family as a housewife and I did it without the consent of the Kingdom," she continued angrily. "Now, Sir Suita, what is a man like yourself doing in a place like Mount Paozu?"

Suita resisted the urge to twist his lip. He supposed that he had that one coming; he was learning firsthand that the rumors of the Ox-Kingdom were true - the princess had a fiery temper. He half-wondered if what they said about her fighting skills were true as well.

Clearing his throat, Suita placed his suitcase on the table and opened it, briefly making eye contact with the woman across from him. "As you know, you are of royal blood Milady, and as such you are required to uphold certain ... _standards_ in regards to the laws of the Ox-Kingdom."

Chi-Chi paused in drinking her tea, her grip tightening around the handle in an iron hold. "I beg your pardon? What's that suppose to mean?"

"Hear me out, Milady. I was just as shocked about the ordeal as you are. According to Law B19, a widowed princess is required to have married by her 25th birthday, and as it would seem Madam, you haven't been married for almost _twenty_ years."

"That can't be true and unless you have proof to back up your claim, I'm gonna have to ask you to leave," she retorted bitterly, her brows masked into a frown.

"Oh, but I do have proof," Suita said a little arrogantly. Chi-Chi watched with an observant eye and boiling blood as the blond pulled a handful of papers from his briefcase. Smugly, he placed them on the table, two pieces of paper standing away from the rest. "It is from my understanding that your late husband Guru passed a little over fifteen years, correct? And if I'm not mistaken, he also, however the gods allowed it, passed seven years ago as well."

His sly comment did not go unnoticed and as a result, Chi-Chi slammed her drink on the table, startling the man. "His name is Goku, _Son_ Goku, and you'd be wise to remember that. Now what does any of this have to do with my marriage?"

"Take a look at the two papers on the left and please read them carefully," he said, sliding them within arm's length of Chi-Chi.

She did as she was told and snatched them from the table, but not without regarding the man with another hard stare. It was her and Goku's marriage license as well as his death certificate (both of them). A soft smile tugged on her lips as she glimpsed over the chicken scratch that was her husband's handwriting and her neat cursive written at the bottom right hand corner of the page.

So far, she had seen nothing out of the ordinary, but she didn't say a word as she tucked away her marriage license in place of her husband's death certificates and with an ever-observant eye, Chi-Chi read over them, her heart clenching.

She remembered these instances all-too-clearly. She hadn't wanted to file for her husband's death, but she didn't have a choice. It was the law of the land and as such, she was required to uphold it. Of course, Chi-Chi had handed that privilege to her father, so she couldn't help but wonder how in the world this man was able to get his hands on such vital information.

Clearing her throat, Chi-Chi put the papers in a neat stack on the table, one hand coddling the edges protectively. "I did as you've said and I've yet to understand the problem. But there is one thing I'd like to know; how did you get your hands on this?"

"I simply asked for a copy," Suita replied, folding his hands on the table. "The council obliged once they learned the reason behind it. Anyway, that is neither here nor there. Are you sure you've read your marriage license in its entirety, Lady Chi-Chi?"

"Yes," Chi-Chi practically spat, her hands itching to snatch the man sitting across from her in a death hold. "I would rather you just tell me what's so important about this rather than beating around the bush. My family is due back home in the next fifteen minutes, sir."

Suita nodded his head in affirmation. "According to your marriage license, there is a certain phrase in it that renders your marriage with your husband null and void. You see Milady, the phrase "Till death do we part" is always, shall I say, _bypassed_, and because death is such a _natural_ thing, no one ever expected this sort of thing to occur."

"However, it would seem that your husband has been a victim of this particular scenario twice over and as a result, you two are no longer bound to one another. So, to put it as lightly as possible, you two are no longer married. You, Princess of the Ox-Kingdom, Lady Chi-Chi, are a widow, living under the roof out of wedlock with a man, whom I still can't believe is alive, with two children, one of which is an illegitimate child."

Chi-Chi stared at the man seated from across her, her pitch black eyes wide with disbelief and shock. She was left at a complete lost for words as she half-listened to Suita prattle on and on about how the situation was a "misfortune" and "a serious problem" and how he's "sorry that he had to break the news to her". There wasn't much that she could say or _do_ for that matter, because what he had said was, in fact, the complete and utter truth.

Goku _had_ died more than fifteen years ago and he had come back within that same year with the help of the Dragon Balls. And more than a few years after his comeback, he had died _again_, only he hadn't returned to Earth until seven years later. Chi-Chi had been so caught up in the riff-raff of her husband being in her arms again, of her husband being home with the children and family and friends that she had never given it that much thought, nor had she ever cared to. She loved him and she didn't give a damn about the law, and if it were left up to her, she would completely abandon any and all rules and regulations in regards to her marriage.

But the truth of the matter was, she couldn't.

Because she was a princess … Princess of the Ox-Kingdom and as Suita had said, she had certain standards that she had to uphold. She was a widow; there was no getting around that. She had been living with an unmarried man, whom she _thought_ she was still married to for the better part of her life without knowledge of it and Goten was, indeed, a child conceived out of wedlock. The thought made her stomach curl and she found herself unconsciously raising a hand to her mouth.

So caught up in her thoughts was she that she hadn't felt the swelling of tears in her eyes. She had never been one to outwardly show weakness or express grief as that was the benefit of being married to the strongest man in the universe, but at that moment she didn't care. She was hurting and there was nothing she could do about it; not her, not her father, and certainly not her husband or shall she say _ex_-husband.

"Which is why I've proposed a solution to this devastating predicament," Suita finished, catching Chi-Chi's attention. "I'm truly sorry for your loss Milady, but I'm very willing and able to ask for your hand in marriage as I'm sure that I would be better suited to take care of you and your sons the way a princess and her princes _should_ be. I know that your ex-husband didn't have a job, nor did he know anything outside of that savagery known as martial arts. Why, he didn't even have an education. But, I'm here to let you know tha-"

"What the hell did you just say!" Chi-Chi interrupted, standing up from her seat in a flurry of anger, knocking her chair over and shaking the table.

"I said that I could take care of you and your sons Mil-"

Chi-Chi didn't give him time to answer as she all but stormed over to the now shaking male, her face pulled into a vicious frown. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, lifted him from his seat at the table and tossed him to the floor in a bout of anger.

"First of all, how _dare_ you come into my home and insult my husband! You have some nerve as to think that I would actually stoop so low as to marry someone like you, who probably wouldn't know two shits about martial arts if it bit you in the ass! Goku may not have had a job or knew anything outside of martial arts, but I didn't give a damn then and neither do I do now!" she screamed at him, stomping a foot on his hand as he tried to scurry from the floor; he cried out in pain.

"He tried and I won't fault him for the things he did or does! You don't know anything about me, my husband, or my children! And how dare you call Goten an "_illegitimate_" child! Why, I ought to kick your sorry ass for all it's worth, which says a lot 'cuz it ain't worth much!" she continued, her forgotten country accent pouring into her fierce words. She snatched him by his collar again, her face dangerously close to his; he visibly quaked in fear. "Now, you have 'til the count of two to get the hell out of my house or by Kami, I'll make you regret ever showin' your face 'round here! Now get out!"

Suita didn't need to be told twice as he dived for his belongings. Before he could reach for the marriage license and death certificates, Chi-Chi turned to look at him, her fists curled and shaking in raw anger. "Your two seconds are up," she snarled, her onyx eyes flashing. Suita "eeped" and immediately ran for the door. He sent a fearful look Chi-Chi's way and due to his careless mistake, he hit the closed door. He released a high-pitched scream as Chi-Chi grabbed him by the back of his collar, opened the door and tossed him out of her house with all of the strength of a fighter.

"I better not catch you around here ever again or things won't be lookin' too good for you!" she told him with a snarl and before he could get a word out, Chi-Chi roughly slammed the door shut.

She waited until she heard the blond move away from her home before she pressed her back against the door, her breath ragged from anger, frustration, and worst of all, hurt. It wasn't until she was sitting on the floor, her eyes hooded, that she released a strangled sob.

How could this have happened?

Only the sound of soup boiling over in the background could be heard, Chi-Chi's soft cries drowning out the silence.

...

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. This is my take on Chi-Chi finding out that she isn't married to Goku anymore thanks to the infamous "Till death do we part" vow, in which Goku has died twice, rendering their marriage null and void.

The name "Suita" is a pun on the word "suitor".


	2. Loophole 1

Thanks goes out to my beta-reader **Aethena**!

...

Gohan held the stained casual clothing at arm's length, his nose scrunching up at the awful smell that resonated from them. He watched as his father pulled off his orange gi, peeling his feather-weighing blue shirt from over his head with it. Goten, whose cheeks were tainted pink and head was bowed in shame, plucked the clothing from his father's large fingers, his bottom lip caught in between his teeth.

"It's alright, Goten," their father said as he pulled his orange top back on. "We know it was an accident; there's no need to be ashamed. If it makes you feel any better, how 'bout we take a swim?"

Immediately, the young hybrid perked up and nodded his head, his wild mane bobbing in unison. "Okay!" he chirped, tossing the over-sized blue shirt to the ground before racing towards the lake, clad in only a pair of lime-green boxers. Goku laughed, removing his clothing until he was only in his boxers as well. He tossed Gohan an apologetic smile.

"Hey Gohan, you mind taking those back to the house for some fresh clothes? Your mother would _kill_ us if she saw Goten come back in that," he said, his nose twitching at the gut-wrenching odor that radiated from the bundle of clothing in Gohan's arms.

"Come on, Dad!" Goten yelled after popping up from underwater, beaconing his father over with a frantic wave of his arms. Goku turned his attention to his youngest and sent him a grin with an equally excited wave of his arms. Gohan's eyes softened and he smiled.

"Sure thing, Dad," he replied, catching his father's attention as he turned to face home. "Mom's probably done with lunch by now anyway."

Goku nodded his head, sending his son a cheeky grin and ran off to join Goten with a bout of rambunctious laughter. With one last look, Gohan watched as Goku grabbed a hold of Goten's torso and tossed him into the water and, immediately after, the two began to wrestle like a pair of wild animals.

The teenager gave a subdued smile before taking to the skies, the horrific odor filling his nostrils once again, instantly reminding him of his reason for heading home so early. What had originally been a peaceful fishing trip had turned into something more. Gohan had never pegged his little brother for the shy type (aside from his first meeting with their dad, where the hyperactive half-Saiyan hid behind their mother's leg like an embarrassed preschooler), so it didn't surprise him when the little boy reverted his attention from fishing in the lake to hunting and, most likely, wrestling dinosaurs in the mud.

As it would seem, the latter had been true. Not a minute after they set up their fishing rods in the ground did Goten disappear off into the wilderness, causing Goku to become confused; however, Gohan had told his father that there was no need to worry. After all, the same thing had occurred when both brothers were training for the WMAT (World Martial Arts Tournament).

Gohan wasn't able to get five minutes into his training without Goten screaming his name about something pertaining to a dinosaur or a bug. So again, it didn't surprise the teenager when he found his brother going head-to-head in a mud pit against an onslaught of baby dinosaurs or at least in what he had _thought_ was a mud pit. Gohan didn't know how Goten didn't notice it - probably because he was too distracted - because the smell was _overwhelmingly_ powerful! What Goten had thought was 100% mud had been, in fact, a mixture of fresh dinosaur feces and the boy hadn't noticed it until their father had pointed out the terrible odor. He had every _right_ to be embarrassed as he was slathered in the brown goop from head to toe!

Gohan couldn't help the smile that pulled on his lips. The way his father and Goten were spending time together reminded him a lot of the time they had spent together during their week and a half break before the Cell Games seven years ago. It was apart of Goku's "Make-Up-For-Lost-Time" Policy. The Saiyan had apologized to the family for being away (which resulted in one gigantic family hug full of loving tears of joy) and had made a promise that he'd spend as much time as he possibly could with everyone. So far, the warrior had held true to that promise and thus was the reasoning behind their father-son fishing trip.

Just a few weeks prior to the event, Gohan and his father had spent the day together near their _special_ waterfall. At first, things had been nothing short of awkward, what with Goku not knowing how to get a conversation flowing between them. His son was, after all, _nothing_ like the 11-year-old boy that he had left behind. But then things had quickly became not-so-awkward when Goku had brought up Videl and the two fighters had spent hours upon hours clowning and joking about the many comparisons between wife and girlfriend. They had even spent some of their time creating poses and heroic phrases for Gohan's alter ego; Goku laughed for hours on end due to the many similarities between the Great Saiyaman and Ginyu Force.

Now this week would be both boys and father spending time together, next week would be Goku and Goten, then the entire family, and lastly, husband and wife, which, in Gohan's opinion, mattered the most to him.

Gohan saw the house come into view and what he saw made him raise his eyebrows. There was an unfamiliar red hover car parked in the driveway. They hadn't had a visitor in weeks now, Krillin being the last person to pay them a visit. Gohan didn't dwell on the topic for long as he entered his home; the smell of Goten's clothes was beginning to make him dizzy. The rich aroma of food wafted throughout the house and Gohan felt his mouth water, a rumble of his stomach following. The teenager made a beeline for the restroom, where he dumped Goten's clothes into the hamper and thoroughly washed his hands. No sooner had he finished did he change, the pungent smell clinging to his clothes.

Once he gathered a fresh pair of clothes for Goten, he made his way towards the kitchen, no longer able to control his raging appetite. Muffled talk soon became as clear as day upon his entrance and Gohan found himself quirking an eyebrow. His mother, whose eyes were puffy and were, bit-by-bit, narrowing into an all-too-familiar glare, was engaged in a conversation with a middle-aged man and to say that he looked completely nervous would've been the understatement of the year.

He looked like he wanted to _wet_ himself!

"Hi, Mom," Gohan greeted nervously upon entering the kitchen, his eyes trailing to the ungodly stack of papers that littered the table.

Chi-Chi, who looked as if she were getting ready to pounce the poor man sitting across from her, who was shaking like a frightened Mr. Satan, turned her attention to her son. "Gohan, what are you doing home so early? And where's your father and Goten?"

Gohan gave her a nervous smile. "Goten ... uh, had a bit of an _accident_. He and Dad are still at the lake."

"Dinosaurs?" she asked him.

"And a mud pit, only not-so-much mud and a little more of ... _something_ else," Gohan replied. "Dad's getting him cleaned off now so I came for some clothes. By the way, Dad wanted to know if lunch was ready."

Before Chi-Chi could respond, the stranger cleared his throat. "I apologize for interrupting, b-but-"

"Oh, where are my manners?" Chi-Chi said. "Mr. Visor, this is my son, Gohan."

"Nice to meet you," Gohan greeted. Visor gave Gohan a weak smile in return, straightening his long tie for the sixth time since entering the quaint home. "What's all this anyway?" the teenager asked, gesturing to the table.

"These are files from the archives in the Ox-Kingdom," Visor answered hastily. "Particularly a set of documents pertaining to the laws, codes, rules and regulations regarding marriage and divorce."

"You're getting a _divorce_!" Gohan exclaimed as he turned to his mother. Chi-Chi fixed her son with a fierce stare.

"Of course _not_!" she retaliated. "And watch your tone!"

"Yes ma'am," he instantly replied. "... Then if you're not getting a divorce, why are all of these pape- Is that Dad's _death_ certificate?" he asked incredulously, his eyes catching wind of a lone piece of paper amongst the stack of them.

"_Certificates_," Visor corrected, wiping a clammy hand across his forehead in an attempt to rid himself of sweat. "And yes, it is."

Previous hunger forgotten, Gohan asked, "May I see it?"

Chi-Chi visibly flinched before removing herself from the table. "I'll go prepare lunch," she said hastily. "Would you like anything?" she asked, turning to Visor, who watched Gohan like a frightened rabbit. Hopefully, his reaction to this bizarre case wouldn't surmount to the same as his bipolar mother.

"Thank you, but no thanks," the visitor answered. "I had a big breakfast." _Or maybe I'm just frightened at the mere _prospect_ of eating anything from you because you keep looking at me like you want to _kill_ me!_

"Suit yourself," she replied before scurrying to the sink.

"How did he die twice?" Gohan questioned, his eyes trailing to his mother, who was pretty much hacking those poor vegetables to pieces. Strange ... lunch was already prepared. Plus, she only did excess cooking when she was _stressed_.

"Excuse me?"

"My Dad," the teen said, turning his attention back to Visor. "I thought he only died once."

The adviser released a nervous chuckle, his forehead practically drenched in perspiration. "W-well, you see, at first _I_ didn't believe it either," he said, licking his chapped lips. "Son Goku died a little over fifteen years ago during that bizarre alien invasion. And, uh, if I'm not mistaken, he died in those crazy Cell Games seven years ago too."

"Oh," came Gohan's one word reply. That was ... so _long_ ago. That had been when Piccolo had kidnapped him and Vegeta was still evil. No one had ever truly considered that death much of a death simply because it was a known fact that the Saiyan was coming back within that following year. Gohan had honestly forgotten all about it, what with his "Big Green Uncle" being there to fill the void.

But that still didn't explain all the papers, or his mother's weird behavior, or the trembling stranger sitting at the table and with those thoughts in mind, Gohan asked the million dollar question. "If you don't mind my asking, what does any of this have to do with marriage?"

No sooner had he asked that did Chi-Chi release a cry of anguish.

"Oh, Gohan! Sweetheart! Your father and I_ aren't married_!" she bawled before crumbling to the kitchen floor in a heap. It briefly reminded him of the time she thought he dyed his hair gold.

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked, trying his best to remain as calm as possible. Maybe his mother was just overreacting.

Amidst Chi-Chi's sobs, Visor cringed. "Well, about that," he nervously started, a cross between a squeak and a chuckle bubbling from his throat. "This is a very, um ... _bizarre_ case. When a married person dies they part from their partner, thus is the reason we say "Till death do we part". But this ... is _strange_; very strange indeed."

Gohan blinked at the man who ran a shaky hand through his thinning hair. "Son Goku died ... twice and it ... uh ... rendered the marriage contract ... void. Your parents aren't together by law."

Gohan's throat was suddenly dry and he found himself wanting to scarf down a pitcher of water.

"No one counted on people ... um ... rising from the _dead_ ... _twice_, so-"

The poor man wasn't given a chance to finish before Chi-Chi rampaged towards the table. Gohan threw himself in the way before she could get to Visor, who had released a high-pitched squeal. Gohan had to do a double take before he wrapped his arms around his mother's shoulders.

"You're _supposed_ to be finding a loophole!" she yelled, trying her damnedest to get out of her son's iron grip. She was failing. _Miserably_. "You call yourself an "_adviser_!" Why I oughta-"

"Sir, I think you should come back tomorrow. I won't be held responsible for anything that happens if she breaks loose," Gohan warned, dodging a flurry of punches from his mother.

Visor didn't waste anytime gathering his belongings, not bothering himself with organizing anything as he all but slammed everything into his briefcase before bolting for the door. When Gohan was positive that their guest was away from the house, he released his hold on his mother. He watched with a keen eye as her previous anger dwindled into nothingness.

"Mom ... Are you okay?"

Chi-Chi cast Gohan an emotionless stare and for a moment Gohan felt his heart lurch. He had never seen her look so ... _dead_. This oddly felt like the aftermath of the Cell Games all over again. Fortunately, it didn't last long and the tiny woman flashed her son a reassuring smile; Gohan wasn't sure if it were for him or herself.

"I think ... I think I need to lie down," she replied and not a second after did she pass out on the floor.

Gohan dived for his mother and placed her on the couch, his head spinning. He didn't know _what_ to think! Things were quickly becoming dangerous. Whenever his mother had meltdowns and blackouts, things _never_ looked good for the party involved when she came to. How was it possible that _every_ time Son Goku came back from the dead, something bad _always_ happened?

_Oh no! I completely forgot about Dad and Goten!_, Gohan thought.

At that moment, the front door burst open and in stormed a fuming Goten followed closely behind by their father. Gohan's eyes widened and his eyes skirted to his mother, who had just flinched upon hearing the loud crash from the door.

"Gohan, ya big _meanie_! You didn't come back like you said you would!" Goten pouted, Goku's blue t-shirt hanging off of his tiny frame like a night-gown as it pooled around his feet.

"Yeah, what happened Gohan?" Goku asked, his eyes trailing to his wife, who was sprawled out on the couch. His eyebrows rose briefly before the smell of food captured his senses. He immediately made a beeline for the kitchen, his black eyes skirting from the pot of steamy soup on the stove to the haphazardly hacked vegetables on the counter to the tray of mouth-watering sandwiches on the counter. He made a nose-dive for the sandwiches, his stomach rumbling in agreement.

_This is _not_ happening right now,_ Gohan thought, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Uh ..." It was the only sound Gohan could form at that moment in response to his father's question.

"There was a red car speeding down the hill _super_ fast!" Goten exclaimed, his previous anger forgotten. "Daddy stopped it though 'cuz the man in it almost hit a tree. He looked like a zombie."

Gohan opened his mouth to speak, but he was having a hard time finding his voice. Just then, Chi-Chi began to stir, a groan escaping her lips. She put a hand to her head and blinked back the fogginess that clouded her eyes.

"What _happened_?" she asked groggily.

"Hey Momma!" Goten greeted excitedly from the table. Gohan bit his lip, his eyes widening. _Any minute now ..._ "We're home!"

Chi-Chi blinked and sent her youngest a smile. "Hey sweetie. Why are you wearing your father's shirt?"

"May smoney," Goku greeted, popping his head from around the opening of the kitchen, his mouth full of half-eaten sandwiches.

"Hey, Gohan?" Goten called from the table, his mind drifting from his mother's question. The teenager's eyes drifted to his younger brother and he tensed up. "What's a "_mirage_" license"?"

Goku blinked confusedly from the doorway, but he didn't move, too preoccupied with stuffing his face. Gohan's attention flickered to his mother, whose face was slowly filling with nothing short of realization. With quick thinking, Gohan snatched the paper from Goten, who cried out in protest. He had to do this fast if he wanted to get away in time; he did _not_ want to be around for what was about to happen!

"Goten, let's go to the lake." Gohan didn't give his brother a chance to speak as he tucked the boy under his arm and all but barreled for the exit.

Goten squirmed in his brother's arm. "But we _just_ got back! And I'm _hungry_!"

With lightning fast reflexes, Gohan doubled back and snatched a sandwich from his father's hand, mashed it into his brother's mouth and ran out of the door like a football player on drugs. Perplexed beyond all reason, Goku stared in the direction that his children ran off into before his eyes drifted to his wife. Goku knew the look on her face all-too-well to know that something was wrong.

He hadn't been given a chance to voice his concern as she curled her fists and screamed. _Loud_.

"**_Goku! We're not married_**!"

Gohan cringed.

...

"Visor" is a pun on the word "adviser".

Anonymous Reviewers:

**Tevinssj7** - I'm glad you like it. Lol; Vegeta as Goku's best man ...

**SS4fan** - :D Thank you. And yeah, it does suck that they aren't married. But hey, it should be interesting to see how they handle this predicament. :O Did you know that Goku and his family had a _country_ accent? I was reading the manga and was like "Oh my glob, Goku's a _southerner_!"

**lovers45** - Aw, give Chi-Chi a little credit. Lol. She's better than that ... hopefully. I'd get depressed too if I found out I wasn't married to the guy of my dreams anymore. Thanks for reading and reviewing. :)

**dbzchichifan** - Thank you! :D


	3. Undeserving

Big shout out goes out to **Angelfish369**. :)

Thanks goes out to my beta-reader **Aethena**!

...

Gohan adjusted the straps on his backpack, shutting his locker with more force than intended and with sagging shoulders, he began his journey down the hall towards his class. He had never felt so bad in his entire life. He hadn't been able to get an inch of sleep last night, his mother's high-pitched screams and cries of anguish radiating through the walls. Goku wasn't able to get a word in; not one word at all and although a part of Gohan thought that his mother's reasoning for yelling at his father was justified (a little), screaming and cursing him for the better part of the day and denying him access to his bedroom was a bit of an overreaction.

Chi-Chi had _even_ directed her unyielding shouts towards Gohan and Goten; she screamed at Gohan for throwing Goten's filthy clothes in the hamper when they should've been thrown in the sink and she yelled at Goten for soiling them in the first place, claiming that he knew better. All in all, _everyone_ suffered the wrath of Son Chi-Chi.

Between answering Goten's questions pertaining to his mother's fussy attitude and his father's "banishment" from his bedroom _and_ trying to get an ounce of sleep for the following school day, Gohan didn't know which was worse.

Heavy bags pooled beneath his eyes like face paint and his normally clear eyes were more red than Goku's eye-gouging, blood red (not to mention _hideous_) Hawaiian shirt. His spiky black hair hung loosely like wet kitten hair and his usually pressed clothes were wrinkled as if he had just thrown them on without even thinking. The fact that his uniform wasn't in the least bit coordinated seemed to add more emphasis to his uncharacteristic appearance.

"Hey, Goh-"

Gohan jumped at the voice and hand that touched his shoulder, and whipped around so fast that a small gust of wind shot down the hall. Immediately, he assumed a fighting stance, his arms laced out in front of him in an offensive position, but he dropped his guard the minute he saw who it was.

Videl quirked an eyebrow at her boyfriend, her hand still hovering over the place where Gohan's shoulder had once been before it dropped to her side. Concern filled her blue eyes and she asked, "Hey, Gohan, you okay?"

The teenage boy sent her a reassuring smile, a yawn soon following. "I'm just fine. Super fine. In fact, I've never been more fine a day in my life."

"You do realize that you've said the word "fine" three times, right?" she questioned, her concern still evident.

"Is it that obvious?" he asked, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

"_Well_," she started off, closing the gap between them as she began to inspect his appearance like a scientist. "Considering the fact that you aren't matching, your clothes aren't ironed, your eyes are red, your hair looks like a mop, and you're as paranoid as I am now that Majin Buu is living with us, then yes; it's _that_ obvious. I'm guessing you had a rough day yesterday. Something happened?"

Gohan sent her a weak smile and released a tired sigh. ""_Rough_" doesn't even begin to describe it."

"Wanna talk about it?" she asked him, her fingers lacing around the limp bang that tickled his nose. Her eyes briefly skirted over his wrinkled green t-shirt worn over his long-sleeved red shirt. _Goodness! Purple pants and mix-match shoes? What did he_ _do? _Sky dive_ into his laundry basket?_ Videl thought as she repressed her laughter.

"What about class?"

Videl fixed Gohan with a haughty smirk, her eyebrows knitting together as she put her hands to her hips. "What about it? I'm sure the teachers wouldn't mind if _Videl Satan _and their valedictorian, defenders of peace and just-"

"Alright, I get it," Gohan grumbled, but he smiled nonetheless. "Lead the way."

...

Visor sat at the rectangular wooden table that framed the kitchen to the Son household. For the third time since entering, he straightened his tie and dabbed his forehead with his near-soaked handkerchief. The eldest son - what was his name? Goron? - had told him to return tomorrow due to the flaring attitude of the raging princess from yesterday's fiasco. He was scared, frightened, down right wet-himself _afraid_ of even being within six feet of 439 East District! As much as he wanted to turn tail and run for his dear life, he knew that he couldn't do that. The bristling young boy that ran amok the living area, the child that looked identical to his gigantic, burly, muscle-bound father, who was strong enough to stop his _car_ from hitting that oak tree yesterday, kept bothering him every five seconds.

Not only did the youngest son of the household prevent him from leaving, but so did the crazed housewife, er ... widow that kept glaring at him every five seconds. It wasn't his fault he kept stumbling over his words! If she'd just stop pulling out that ridiculously heavy, black frying pan - the one that slightly resembled a mace - then he could function properly. Visor deduced that this family simply wasn't normal. Not the sons, not the woman of the house, and definitely not that incredibly steroid-pumped man that kept walking around the house in a wife beater!

_No ... nothing about the Sons is normal._

Chi-Chi cleared her throat again (for the sixth time ... Visor was making _sure_ to keep count) and folded her hands on the table. "You were saying, Mr. Visor?"

"Uh ... yes!" Visor squeaked, placing his briefcase on the table. Today would, hopefully, be the last day that he'd have to deal with this. He planned on laying absolutely everything out on the table. If everything went according to plan, then he'd never see them again; no more marriage licenses, no more death certificates, no more rules and regulations and codes and laws, and definitely no more nightmares of crazy ax-wielding widows haunting him throughout the night. He nervously popped open his briefcase with a click of a button and pulled out a thick pamphlet.

Before Visor could get a word out, Chi-Chi directed a fierce glare towards her _husband_, who had just finished walking through the room for what ought to be the 50th time since Visor entered the house. "Would you _sit _down already, Goku!"

Goku, whose mind had been so absorbed in whatever it was that was on his mind, jumped at Chi-Chi's tone and without a word, he bolted for the couch. Soon Goten had joined him and, immediately after, the clones began to engage in a very animated conversation. Chi-Chi turned back to Visor, who hid behind the opening of his briefcase, and tossed the middle-aged man a smile. "I apologize. Please, continue."

"Oh, um, _right_," he nervously said, leafing through the thick pamphlet that he had placed on the table minutes ago. Visor adjusted his tie again as he briefly made eye contact with the woman seated across from him. _Visor ... you can do this. Don't let her speak until you're finished. Get it all off your chest right here, right now. And then, run. Run for your life!_ "Where shall I start?"

"You can _start_ by telling me about those loopholes you missed yesterday," Chi-Chi immediately snapped, her arms crossed over her chest. "Is there any way to get around that accursed Law B19?"

Visor bit his lip. "Yes, Lady Chi-Chi. There is."

She perked up, her previous anger dwindling into nothing short of happiness. "Well, don't just sit there! Tell me!"

"You can ... uh, remarry."

Chi-Chi's smile grew wide and she clasped her hands together as laughter bubbled from her throat. "Really? So, I can just marry Goku all over again and pretend this whole thing never happened?"

"B-but," he started up again, causing Chi-Chi's eyebrows to draw together into that scary frown again. Visor gulped and even though the other two males in the house were happily chirping away in a flurry of rambunctious laughter and silly noises, it did nothing to quell the erratic beating of his heart.

""_But_" what? What is it?"

Visor pulled at his collar before he coughed into his hand. "Well, you see ... it's kinda like ... um, how shall I explain this ..."

Slowly, but surely, Chi-Chi's eyes began to narrow until they were dead set in a furious gaze. "You don't know, _do_ _you_?" Chi-Chi took the adviser's silence as an answer and she found herself growling. "What about Goten's proclaimed "_illegitimacy_"?"

"W-what?"

"That is _it_!" Chi-Chi bellowed as she stood up from her seat at the table. Goku and Goten watched with raised eyebrows as the housewife pulled her skillet from off the table and stomped over to Visor, who could do nothing but watch. "How dare you come into my home unprepared! What kind of adviser are you!"

Goku quickly ushered Goten out of the room, telling him to go play outside and with lightning fast speed, he stopped his wife in her attack, the deadly weapon coming to a halt inches away from the man's skull. Chi-Chi cast Goku, who held a worried look in his eyes, a teary-eyed pout and she found herself dropping the kitchen utensil to the floor with a clang. She quickly adverted eye contact before she pointed a finger to the door.

"Out of my house."

Visor stared at her quizzically before she pried her wrist away from Goku's hand.

"You heard me! Get out! Right now!"

She fixed the adviser with an irate glare before she grabbed him by the back of his collar, but not without slamming his belongings into his briefcase and shoving it into his arms, and began to pull him viciously towards the exit. She shoved him out of the door and pointed an accusatory finger at him. "The next time you come back, you had _better_ be prepared!" And with that said, she slammed the door.

Goku gulped, his black eyes laced with worry. "Chi-Chi, are you okay?"

She turned towards him with tears in her eyes, her face pulled into a scowl. "No! I'm _not_ okay, Goku! We're not married and ... and _you act like you don't care_!" she heaved.

"That's not true; I do care!"

"When I told you yesterday, all you said was "_Oh, is that so_?". It didn't sound like you cared! I feel like such a ... such a ... _prostitute_, living in a house with a man I'm not married to and for more than fifteen years too! It doesn't help that two _other_ men had to tell me this either! And to make matters worse, Goten is an "_illegitimate_" child!" she shouted bitterly. "If you would've never died, if you would've just _stopped_ fighting and _training_ then none of this would've ever happened!"

"So no, Goku. I'm _not_ okay! And ... I don't think I ever will be!" By the time Chi-Chi finished yelling, her face was puffy and laden with tears and her eyes were swollen and red. She didn't give the warrior a chance to speak as she brushed past him and made a beeline for her bedroom, where he was sure she locked the door.

Goku stared at the door that shielded his wife from the world and released a sigh. The way she was yelling and crying and screaming almost made him feel as if the entire thing was _his_ fault. He hadn't meant to upset her yesterday. While what she said _had_ been true, he had only said that because he was shocked, not because he didn't care. She had spent the entire day fussing and nitpicking over everything, and she wouldn't let him say or do anything to calm the situation.

She had even locked him out of the bedroom, not to mention he and the boys had to go the day without dinner, in which he had to result to primal instinct and camp out for the night. This incident reminded him of his return from Planet Yardrat. When he had returned back home, he had been hoping to see his scowling wife, staring at him with childish delight and feigned anger. But she had simply given him the cold shoulder and what he had thought would take weeks to mend had ended up taking more than a month to repair. He hoped that this instance wouldn't be the same.

Goku took another breath. He had to fix this.

He _had_ to.

...

"You're kidding!"

"I wish I were," Gohan said, rubbing his hands in his face in an attempt to keep himself awake. "I've never seen her so upset before. At least, not like _this_. Some of her yelling was justified though ... I mean, Dad _can_ be kinda careless in his word choice. But, I can't help but feel bad for not only him, but for Mr. Visor, who's probably _dead_ right now."

Videl quirked an eyebrow. "Who's Visor?"

"Oh, he's an adviser that my mom hired. He's suppose to be one of the best. I can't help but feel as if I made a mistake by telling him to come back today," Gohan explained with slumped shoulders.

Currently, Gohan and Videl were floating a ways off from their school, their heads buried in the clouds that framed the afternoon sky. Down below, birds flew past, singing their songs of peace and tranquility, and further below the daily traffic jam of Satan City crowded the streets. The sun shone high and bright in the sky, contrast to the gloomy feeling that lingered in the air.

The pair didn't realize that they had skipped an entire day of school, but as it would seem, neither of them fretted about it. Not when a mid-life crisis regarding a hero and his wife was afoot.

"So what is your dad going to do about it?" Videl asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Huh?"

Videl frowned slightly, crossing her arms for added emphasis. "Is he going to remarry her or what?"

"I'm not sure," Gohan answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'm hoping that he does. Whether he chooses to remarry her or not doesn't matter to me, although it'd be nice if he did; I just don't want them to break apart."

Videl twisted her lip, her brain tinkering. "No offense, Gohan, but do you think it's _right_ if they remarry?"

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked, his head tilting to the side in bewilderment.

"What I mean is," Videl stated carefully. "Your dad ... he was barely around and when he was, he only trained, and he didn't have a job _or_ an education either. Your mother pretty much raised you and Goten on her own, often suffering because of his absence. What if the same thing happens again? Then what? Is he going to remarry her and repeat the process?"

Gohan crossed his arms in a contemplative gesture, his eyes trailing towards a flock of pigeons. "That's not really fair, Videl. I mean, half the reason my dad was gone was because of some idiot threatening to destroy the planet, if not the _universe, _or trying to kill us. You can't exactly blame him for being away so much. He only did those things to protect us, not because he wanted a personal vacation away from Earth."

"Still ..." Videl said, catching the gist of what her boyfriend was saying. "All she wants is for him to be home. Is that so much to ask?"

"Well, no," Gohan replied, scratching the back of his head. "And I think he should've been home more often too; trust me when I say that. But, I don't think my mom's anger is _that_ justified."

Videl paused in her next statement and narrowed her eyes. "You don't think it's "_justified_"? Gohan, your dad was _barely_ around. Remember that party we had at Capsule Corp.? Because _I_ sure remember it. Your dad didn't show up until everyone was leaving because he was concerned over some _dinosaurs_! Seriously?"

Gohan could do nothing but stare at the fighter floating across from him. She was fuming, that much he could tell. But why, he didn't know.

"I mean, I like your dad Gohan; I _really_ do. But, it's like he doesn't appreciate Chi-Chi sometimes. You can almost call them distant _friends_ instead of husband and wife. She does nothing but give and give and give, and all he does is take. I feel sorry for her and honestly, I don't think they should remarry. Not unless he changes."

And with that said, Videl flew off in a spark of light, leaving behind a confused Gohan.

She hadn't meant to be angry with him, but she couldn't help herself. This entire fiasco bitterly reminded her of her own parents' relationship. Ever since the fame and glory over that ridiculous championship title went to her father's head some odd years ago, he had slowly, but surely abandoned her mother until she left. Although comparing her parents' scorched marriage to that of Goku and Chi-Chi's was ridiculous due to the circumstances that caused the Sons to even _be_ in such a state, she couldn't help but feel that way.

She was steadfast in what she said. Goku didn't deserve Chi-Chi and unless he changed, then he never would.


	4. Apologetic

A big shout out goes to **Kiddo626**!

Thanks goes out to my beta reader **Aethena**!

...

Peace.

Quiet.

Tranquility.

These words rang true through Piccolo's head as he took a deep breath, basking in the silence bestowed upon him by the gods (with the exception of one very powerful, very _thundering_ waterfall just meters away from his being). How long had it actually been since he experienced such a remarkable thing known as peace? Piccolo couldn't recall.

After that Buu debacle, Trunks and Goten had become even _more_ attached to him than before. The Namekian didn't know if it was due to the insane amount of time he had spent with the boys when they were undergoing their Fusion Training or if they simply enjoyed aggravating him. Whatever the case may be, Piccolo didn't ponder on it for long. Meditation was all that mattered to him at the moment and nothing would break that; nothing at all.

Except for … maybe, Son Goku.

At first Piccolo had thought nothing of the warrior's presence. Goku did, after all, have a penchant for showing up during the most bizarre of times; however, even when he did show up, if he saw that someone was engaged in an important activity, he'd go out of his way not to bother them and come back another time. Of course, this didn't pertain to everyone.

It didn't bother Piccolo when he sensed Goku flying in his direction. It didn't bother Piccolo when Goku sat on the large boulder right next to the waterfall either. No; what _bothered_ Piccolo was the fact that Goku was staring at him, not so much as uttering a peep, which was_ extremely_ unlike him.

The Namekian could always tell when someone was watching him. Being asked more times than he could fathom "Are you sick, sir?" or being told "You're looking a tad green, sir." did that to a person and, as such, it always made him a tad bit … self-conscious when someone watched him. Gohan did it. Goten and Trunks did it. Humans did it. And now, Goku was doing it and to say that it was nerve-wracking would've been an understatement.

Resisting the urge to grit his teeth, Piccolo released a deep and slightly aggravated sigh before he peeled an eye open. _So much for a day of meditation_, he thought as the blinding orange of his teammate's gi filled his eyesight.

As he predicted, Goku sat, much like how he was in the sky, with his legs and arms crossed, only, instead of bowing his head and actually _meditating_, the Saiyan warrior was staring at him with a distant look in his eyes, almost as if he were looking _through_ him and not _at_ him. Piccolo quirked a brow bridge and before he could voice his, for lack of a better word, concern, Goku spoke, his voice filled with a less-than-enthusiastic tone that the fused being was so accustomed to.

"What's up, Piccolo?"

Piccolo blinked, his eyes narrowing slightly before he shut them. "I was meditating. What brings you out here?"

Goku rubbed the back of his head, a smile pulling on his lips. "Oh, nothing," he replied. "I was just on my way to see Krillin and I felt your energy nearby, so I decided to pay you a visit."

"You decided to fly," Piccolo stated.

Goku seemed surprised by his statement, but he simply laughed whilst he rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah; I usually fly when something's on my mind."

Piccolo knew all-too-well what the warrior meant. Brief images of Goku skirting about the planet when he and his wife butted heads crossed his mind. Those three years … those three _long_ years were … _odd_ to say the least.

"Something's on your mind?" Piccolo asked, not bothering to look at the warrior.

Goku didn't respond right away; his eyes trailed to the thundering splash of whitewater pooling near the boulder that he sat on and a soft smile highlighted his face. He recalled having short, almost one-sided conversations with the Namekian whenever something was on his mind. Gohan had always told him that the fighter was a good listener. He was always blunt and straightforward with his answers, never sugarcoating anything, which, for the most part, seemed harsh and inconsiderate. Sometimes he fumbled with his words or even over-thought his answers, but he meant well and that was one of the things Goku honestly liked about him.

He was like a semi-nicer version of Vegeta.

"I just found out that I'm not married," Goku said before erupting in a burst of anxious laughter. "It's got somethin' to do with those two times I died so Chi-Chi's been pretty upset for the past couple days."

Piccolo remained silent as Goku continued to prattle on and on, his words spilling like baby vomit.

So, he wasn't married to Chi-Chi and it was eating the warrior alive knowing that his wife was upset about it. If there was anything that Piccolo learned about Goku, it was that he was _terrible_ with words. He either said too little or too much. This instance definitely counted as too much and Piccolo was willing to bet that Goku had said too _little_ in regards to his upset wife.

"What are you going to do about it?" Piccolo asked, cutting Goku off as he was just beginning to talk about how he'd gone without a home-cooked meal for three days straight.

"Huh?"

Piccolo fixed Goku with an annoyed frown and the Saiyan laughed.

"Well, I'm gonna ask her to marry me again, I think. It sounds like the right thing to do and I want her to be happy," the Saiyan answered with a small grin.

"Then marry her," Piccolo deadpanned.

Goku looked at Piccolo for what felt like an eternity, causing the Namekian to sigh. "You think I should?"

"You're the _only_ man on the face of this planet who can put up with a woman like her. And the same can be said to her for you," Piccolo answered bluntly, a smirk highlighting his forest green lips. "Besides, can you picture yourselves with anyone other than whom you're with?"

Goku howled out in laughter. "You really think so?"

"I've lived with you for _three_ years. If there was anyone who could see that, it'd certainly be me. And if there was anything that I learned about you and Chi-Chi, it's that you're both loud, obnoxious idiots; you deserve each other," Piccolo replied humorlessly, his eyes staring directly into Goku's.

Piccolo had meant every word he said. When he had first met the brash female, he thought her to be nothing more than a shrill, screaming tight-wad with nothing better to do but yell. She shoved the thought of education down Gohan's throat every chance she could get and she yelled at Goku for some of the stupidest things sometimes. But after he observed her, observed Goku, observed Gohan, and the way the family actually functioned, he saw her reasoning behind half the things she did.

She was nothing more than an overprotective woman who showered her family with the love and affection of a person willing to do _anything _to protect them, even if she couldn't do much to help. She didn't want Gohan to become like his father and she didn't want Goku getting himself into danger, and the more Piccolo thought about it, the more sense it made to him. After witnessing her fearless proclamation against Majin Buu before she was transformed into a dairy product, it proved what he thought of her.

She loved her children.

She loved Goku.

And even if she had a funny way of showing it, Piccolo couldn't deny that no more than anyone denied him of being green.

"Don't you find it a little strange that I'm asking you for advice, Piccolo?" Goku asked, causing the fused being to quirk a brow bridge at the Saiyan. "I mean, you don't even have female Namekians. Or male Namekians, right? Can your species even _get_ _married_?"

Piccolo resisted the urge to shoot a high-voltage ki blast at the fighter sitting on the boulder below him. What the hell kind of question was that? "Shouldn't you be fixing your marriage?" Piccolo growled out.

Goku brightened at Piccolo's response before standing up and stretching. He cast the alien one of his brightest smiles before levitating above ground. "You're right; thanks, Pic! Gohan was right; you _should_ be a therapist!"

"Say _what_! And I told you to _stop_ calling me that damn name!" Piccolo exclaimed, his cheeks tingeing pink at Goku's outburst. Before he could erupt in a clatter of shouts and embarrassed sputter, Goku took off in a burst of energy, his laughter radiating in Piccolo's ears.

"Earthlings," Piccolo muttered bitterly, embarrassingly under his breath before he fell back into a meditative state. "A _therapist_ … damn you, Gohan."

...

Chi-Chi awoke with a stir, her black eyes staring up towards the white-washed walls of her bedroom ceiling. Out of habit, she turned her head to her left, her lips crinkled into a soft smile and her eyes blooming with nothing short of adoration, but all emotion left her face as quickly as it had come.

Empty.

_Again_.

For the third day in a row.

Chi-Chi didn't know if it was the scent of fresh pine trees and sunflowers that tainted her senses or if it was simply the large imprint left on the opposite side of the bed, but whatever the reason may be, it left her waking up to yet another restless morning of not seeing her husband beside her. The haunting memory of Goku's face from yesterday's blow up plagued her mind; she hadn't meant to accuse him of not caring for her. It was just past frustrations lumped into yesterday's humiliation with the adviser that overwhelmed her and the remembrance of Goku's comment had fueled the fire. And as a result, she took her anger out on him.

Chi-Chi brushed all thoughts of her broken marriage aside and decided to get the day started. Frustration for a third morning in a row was not the way to start of the day and, as such, Chi-Chi cast her bed sheets aside to get prepared for the day ahead of her. However, before she removed herself from her bed, the sound of sheets against paper filtered into her ears and she found herself quirking an eyebrow.

A large sheet of paper was taped haphazardly onto Goku's pillow, its form wrinkled and crumpled with struggle, its edges bent in a vehement fashion. Chi-Chi deduced that if it were handled any more roughly then it'd surely rip to pieces. The widow reached for the paper, but found herself lifting the entire pillow instead. Whoever decided to use tape _obviously_ had no idea how it worked because the entire paper, as well as parts of Goku's pillow, was littered with the sticky material.

Chi-Chi sighed, her eyes skirting over its content. Immediately, she recognized the scratchy, otherwise Kami-awful penmanship, and she found herself unconsciously raising a hand to shield her trembling mouth, a cross between a smile and a pout marking her lips. That's why she smelled him …

Scribble-scratch and crossed out words decorated the paper in an onslaught of broken and misspelled words. Smudged and splattered ink dotted the page also; yet, she was able to understand it all, particularly the last sentence written carefully, yet so humorously wrong and damn near illegible at the bottom left corner of the page that it made her cry out in guilt.

"Deer Chi-Chi … I den ent wana wak u up but I wint to Crilens hows. I wil bee bac hom layter. I luv yuu."

She _definitely_ had to make it up to him.

And apologize.

When Chi-Chi had finally decided to get out of bed after bawling her eyes out over the note that her lover left behind, she found that she didn't have to lift a finger for the duration of that morning. A sweet love note was all that filled her senses as she wallowed about the house. Turns out that fixing up the bed and taking a shower were the only things she really needed to do.

Goku - oh, her sweet, sweet Goku - took it upon himself to clean up the house. Although it wasn't done in the manner in which she would have fixed it, it was the thought that counted and, as such, she wouldn't meddle. It was his way of apologizing for upsetting her the other day - Chi-Chi was sure of it - although she was _thoroughly_ convinced that he had done absolutely _nothing_ wrong to do such a thing. She was, in fact, in the wrong and as she walked through the house, scrutinizing it with a trembling smile and glistening ebony eyes, it had only made her feel even _more_ guilty for yelling at him.

The floors, from front to back, were free of any dust and dirt. The pillows were fluffed on the couch from where the Son patriarch had slept yesterday and the blanket that he used was curled in - what Chi-Chi was _positive_ that Goku thought was a fold - a tangled knot. The chairs were neatly placed underneath the kitchen table and were dusted and wiped to perfection. The dishes weren't so much as touched, the remembrance of her refusal to cook anything for the past three days flowing into her memory.

All in all, the house was spotless, from the ridiculously half-folded laundry to Goten's usually messy play area, and it filled Chi-Chi's heart to the brim knowing that her accident-prone husband, who ran in fear of having to lift so much as a _duster_, went out of his way to clean up the house and all over a stupid, one-sided _argument_.

With a determined smile, Chi-Chi snatched her apron from its holster and tied it around her waist.

She was going to make it up to him, one way or another.

...

I changed the way the story was formatted so that it'd flow better. Hopefully the change isn't detrimental to the story.

Anonymous Reviewers:

**I love this story** - Words cannot express how much I appreciate your review. :) Thank you so, so, SO much for reading and reviewing. I wish to see more of your input in the future, if possible.

**Ari** - Lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	5. A Second Opinion

Thanks goes out to my beta-reader **Aethena**!

...

It was a known fact that Son Goku was poor at keeping in touch with his friends. His knowledge of the Instant Transmission didn't exactly provide him with the best excuse in the world for skipping out on seeing his friends either. He was a Super Saiyan, which meant he had super speed; not only was he a Super Saiyan, but he was also a Super Saiyan 2 _and _3. He didn't just have access to the Flying Nimbus, but he also had a driver's license _with_ a car.

So again, he couldn't provide his friends with an excuse as to why he never bothered to visit them, unless he counted the fact that he was either: engaged in some heavily needed catching up with his family, training, or, in most cases, dead.

And if the stated reasons weren't very good reasons as to why he never bothered visiting, then the newly discovered one certainly was.

He was facing marital problems.

So it was all with that last thought in mind that Goku flew to the serene beauty of the tiny little get-away stranded out at sea, with its dancing palm tree and beautiful, yet quaint, pink and red house stationed in the middle of its sandy front, the words "Kame House" printed so eloquently in big, bold, red letters on its forehead. Soft waves rocked the sandy shores, sea critters played peek-a-boo through the salty waters, and a crowd of seagulls flew by every few hours, the intensity of the sun's warm rays beaming down and allowing their shadows to grace the grounds.

Goku was so accustomed to seeing little to nothing but water surrounding the house that he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when he noticed not one, but _two_ hover cars parked in the rear of the house. The fresh scent of sweet barbecue wafted in the air and Goku found himself captivated by the aroma as his nostrils flared, the burning desire for food blocking out all thoughts of seeing his best friend.

The minute Goku touched base on the island, he made a beeline for the front door, where he immediately brought up a hand and knocked.

Goku raised an eyebrow when he received a series of short grunts and not a second after did he hear Krillin's voice, his tone filled with annoyance.

"Door's open!"

The warrior peeled back the door, his eyebrows still quirked with confusion, and he poked his head inside. Gracing his view was Krillin, who was sprawled out over the table that framed the small den area, and in his hands was a large, black garbage bag. An onslaught of beer bottles, paper plates and cups decorated not only the table, but most of the floor and couch as well and from the looks of it, Goku could very well tell that Krillin was cleaning up what was most likely a very _big _mess.

From where the Earth's savior stood, he could see images of something or another flash across the television screen, its sounds and music making its journey across the house and into his ears. Figures. It was nothing but another one of Master Roshi's silly aerobics tapes.

"Goku?" the monk called, rubbing his head as he stood erect. "Well I'll be darned! What brings you out here?" he asked, maneuvering around the couch with a smile. "The boys finally decided to give you a break or did Chi-Chi kick you out of the house again?"

Goku chuckled nervously while scratching the back of his head. "Well actually, what if I said it was a little of both? I actually came here for some help, but ...," he trailed off, his eyes shifting from the garbage bag in his friend's hand to the guests scattered across the floor near the table. Their faces, especially Yamcha, that were most likely tickled red from drinking, were buried in the floor, except for Master Roshi, whose head was shielded by a lamp post, and Oolong, who had one of the Turtle Hermit's prized possessions (a dirty magazine) covering his entire face excluding his ears.

The fighter looked back at his friend. "What happened here?"

Krillin sighed and if he could pinch the bridge of his non-existent nose, he most certainly would have. "The girls are out right now, so Oolong decided to show up unannounced with Yamcha in tow. As you can _clearly_ see, I got stuck playing babysitter for a bunch of drunken idiots," Krillin explained with sagging shoulders, bending over to pick up a lone plastic cup. "But enough about my problems; you said you needed advice, right? Well, Goku, if it's advice you want, then you've come to the right place."

Goku offered his best friend one of his many world-renown smiles before his nose perked up, the smell of food permeating his senses yet again. "Before we talk ...," Goku started off idly. "Do you have something good to eat? I smell _barbecue_."

Krillin slapped a palm to his forehead, bending over to pick up more trash before he laughed. "You're still the same bottomless pit after all these years, I see. Lucky for you, I just ate. Help yourself to the leftovers in the fridge. The drinks are in the cooler by the sink. In the meantime, I'll just clean up this me- Goku?" Krillin looked around, taking note of the fact that his childhood friend was no where to be seen. That was, until the monk heard the hustle and bustle of dishes and utensils from the kitchen, followed closely behind by Goku's giddy laughter.

He sighed, stepping back towards the drunken guests of the house before he began collecting empty beer bottles again. "Mention food and he's no where to be seen," Krillin grumbled with a laugh.

...

Goku released a loud belch as he tossed the last of his finished barbecue chicken onto his plate. He had honestly forgot what a home-style barbecue tasted like and devouring the leftovers that Krillin offered him reminded him of one of the many reasons why he missed Earth so much. One just couldn't get meals as fine as this in Otherworld. As good of a cook as King Kai and Bubbles were, nothing could surmount to the decadent morsels that Earthlings prepared.

"Man!" Goku exclaimed, stretching out his muscles before patting his stomach. "Compliments to the chef! I haven't had a meal _that_ good since I _died_!"

"Thank you," Krillin replied once he stepped into the kitchen. His eyes nearly flew from their sockets when he saw the mess that his best friend had made and he immediately found himself laughing. "It's a good thing you used paper plates or else I don't know what I'd do! You Saiyans are like bottomless pits, I swear," the monk bellowed, shoveling Goku's trash into the garbage-filled bag that he carried in his hands before tossing it in the large trash bin stationed a few feet away from the dishwasher.

Goku burst into laughter after he wiped his face with the napkin around his neck. "Where did you learn how to cook like _that_!" the warrior exclaimed, tossing his food-covered towelette onto the table.

Krillin colored red at Goku's question, clearly embarrassed, and coughed into his hand as a means to rid himself of the burning sensation that haunted his cheeks. "What's all this talk about advice?" the black-haired fighter questioned, changing the subject.

Goku brought his hands down to his lap as he settled down, the vibrant expression that was on his face falling into an awkward smile. Krillin pulled up a chair to the table, concern etched across his face much like how one's grandmother frets over her grandchildren.

"Can I ask you something, Krillin?" Goku asked, his eyebrows knitted together in concentration.

In response to the fighter's question, Krillin chuckled. "You already did, bro. But hey, why not?"

Goku twisted his lip and if Krillin could guess, he'd say that the Son patriarch was really putting a lot of thought into his question. "What do you think of me and Chi-Chi?"

Now _that_ was _definitely_ not something the monk was expecting!

"Huh?" he responded, his eyebrows flying to his hairline.

Goku burst into a round of laughter, his hand flying to the back of his head in response. "Something told me not to ask you that." Krillin released an awkward chuckle, but when he saw that Goku didn't say anything in return, his eyes nearly bogged out of their sockets.

"Wait, you're _serious_, aren't you?" Krillin inquired. "Hmm ...," he thought aloud, bringing up his hand to stroke his chin. "I think you guys are ... well, you're both ... let's see ..."

Goku waited patiently for his comrade's answer; when he received nothing for a long period of time but fumbling words and half-put-together phrases, he found himself getting ready to say "forget I asked".

"Wait, what's this all about anyway!" Krillin shouted, his hands flailing in front of his stout body as if he were deflecting an unwanted attack. "You asked for _help_, not a counseling session! What's Chi-Chi got to do with any of this?"

"Well," Goku took a deep breath, cracking a grin at his best friend as nervous laughter bubbled from his throat. "Turns out I'm not married thanks to Raditz and Cell and Chi-Chi's been like a walking time _bomb_ for the last few days! I wanna remarry her, ya know, make her happy again 'cuz I _really_ hate seeing her cry. I guess ... I mean, what do ya think?"

Krillin stared at Goku for what felt like an eternity and to say that it was making him nervous would've been an understatement.

It was a known fact that Son Goku _never_ talked about relationships, let alone his marital status. As a matter of fact, Krillin honestly believed that Goku was pretty private when it came to issues with his wife ... er ... _ex_-wife. He'd had the privilege of seeing some of their relationship from when he had spent those last couple of days over at their house before Goku parted to the afterlife. Majority or rather _all_ of their friends had viewed Chi-Chi in such a negative light and he was no exception. When he first met Chi-Chi when they were teenagers, he thought she was a pretty decent person. She was pretty, beautiful even, and she seemed like she had a good head on her shoulders and she was an awesome fighter to boot.

But then came that impromptu proposal from Goku due to a forgotten promise he made when they were children. Everyone knew that Goku was as loyal as a lion was to its lioness and when the fighter made a promise, he _always_ kept his promise, but Krillin couldn't help but think that Chi-Chi somehow _manipulated_ Goku into marrying her. The man didn't even know what "marriage" and "bride" meant and who could blame him? Goku was always out on his own; he pretty much raised himself all his life! The closest thing he's had to a father-figure after the death of his grandfather was Master Roshi, but hell, the Turtle Hermit's view of women wasn't exactly the most _positive_ of views (although, Krillin was thankful that Goku hadn't picked up any of their old master's traits in regards to that aspect).

Krillin didn't have anything against Chi-Chi, not in the least bit. As a matter of fact, he rather liked her because she reminded him a lot of his _own_ wife. But, he simply didn't think it was fair of her to show up in Goku's life after Kami knows _how_ many years and dump the idea of marriage onto his back like a master did its mule.

"Piccolo thinks that I should marry her," Goku blurted, genuine laughter rolling from his throat.

"Whoa, you went to _Piccolo_ for advice!" Krillin hollered, causing Goku to jump.

Goku smiled. "Yeah; I mean, it's not like it'd hurt or anything. And Piccolo thinks that we deserve each other; he called us both _idiots_."

"The "idiot" part sounds a _lot_ like something he'd say alright," Krillin muttered before smiling at his best friend. "But I never pictured that guy being the type to give _anyone_ advice on anything, especially something like _marriage_. He's as serious as _Vegeta_ when it comes to stuff like that. I'm surprised he didn't curse you; Kami knows Piccolo is more emotionally constipated than a child that's ate too much cheese."

Both fighters promptly burst into a ring of laughter, their loud voices reaching the ears of the sleeping guests sprawled out on the floor of the television room.

When they both calmed down, Krillin sent Goku an awkward smile before he released a deep-rooted sigh. "Listen Goku," he started off, earning the attention of the world's savior. "When I first met Chi-Chi, I didn't think it was fair that you married her. It was like she forced you to do it; you didn't even know what it _meant_ to be married and to me, it's like she played with your emotions. You're a loyal guy, ya know? And I've never seen you back away from a promise."

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't marry her just because that's what _she_ wants. Marry her because that's what _you_ want. I've no doubt in my mind that you love her because hey, how many men do you know that would die for their wives? _Twice_?"

Whether or not Krillin gave Goku the answer he wanted to hear, Goku tossed the monk a genuine smile and in return Krillin did the same.

...

Tired and aching.

Tired and covered in flour.

Sweaty and bathed in grime. And just so gosh darned _tired_!

Chi-Chi wiped the perspiration that tickled her forehead with the back of her hand and plopped down into one of the many chairs that framed the kitchen table. Who knew apologizing could be so much work!

Chi-Chi knew that her pride would never allow her to express her sentiments to her husband in the form of words (not unless she was screaming her lungs out anyway or crying). She always thought that she got her point across through cooking, committing her time to accomplishing subtle favors, or more often than not, performing a layer of sweet offerings in the privacy of their bedroom.

She commended herself on deciding to perform such an action, because not only was her festive preparation a means to make up for her - looking back on it - _silly_ confrontation with Goku yesterday, but it also helped take her mind off of the grueling events that unfolded in the last days. She needed something to focus on other than her marriage and cooking was just the way to do it.

Often in the past, the housewife found herself divulged in something, _anything _that could take her mind off of her husband's death. Those seven years had been tough on, not only her, but their son, who had spent the better part of those years wallowing in both depression and guilt. If she wasn't scrubbing something down or obsessing over an item that just seemed so out of place, then she was cooking (and excessively so) or comforting Gohan, which, oddly, seemed to help her through most of _her_ problems.

But that was neither here nor there and, as such, Chi-Chi eyeballed her accomplishments with nothing short of a smile.

Steam nipped at all four corners of the table as it poured from an unfathomably large bowl of rice, seasoned and speckled with spices and peas as well as with another variety of add-ons. Savory meats, whether it be fried, baked, grilled or bathed in a homemade sauce, from fish and chicken to beef and - dare she say it - _dinosaur_, surrounded the bowl of rice like an army waiting to ambush its enemy. Potatoes Au Gratin, drizzled in a blend of cheeses, hugged a basket of buns, whose hair was coated in a thin layer of butter.

Soups simmered in the pots on the stove like lava in a volcano and, like icing on top of a cake, Chi-Chi was preparing one of Goku's favorite desserts - a two-tier cake shielded in a fresh coat of homemade whipped cream frosting with a trail of strawberries mounting its back.

All in all, it was a feast fit for a king! _Her_ king.

Chi-Chi couldn't _wait_ to see the look on Goku's face when he returned home. Just thinking about it made her feel as if she were a newly wed!

With an added pep in her step, she stood up from her seat and set an immediate path for the restroom. If Goku was her king, then she was his queen and being covered in sweat, grime, and flour was not the way she wanted to present herself to him when he made his voyage home.

And with that thought in mind, she happily cleaned herself off with thoughts of Goku filling her senses.

...

I changed the format so that the flow would not be out of order. Hope it's an easier read than before.

Anonymous Reviewers:

**Emma** - :D You really think so? Thank you so much and I hope to read more of your kind words in the future!

**lovers45** - Lol, don't we all wish we had a Goku in our life? I know I do. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :)


	6. Two Steps Back

Thanks goes out to my beta-reader **Aethena**!

...

If there was ever a time in Goku's life where he wanted to run away from his friends, it'd most certainly be right now.

His talk with Krillin had ended on a positive note, something the wild-haired warrior wasn't expecting. He had always known Krillin for his short, enthused, yet _brutally_ honest outbursts when it came towards matters of women (or _anything_ for that matter). The most notable of his best friend's outbursts was when Goku had asked about marriage years ago after Chi-Chi tried knocking his block off over a long-forgotten promise (not to mention the fact that he didn't even _remember_ her).

Krillin had made _sure_ to yell _extra_ loud that it was, roughly translated, "the end of his life"! Of course, Goku had opposed to the idea and thought it to be absolutely preposterous.

When it came towards the matter of his heart, Goku knew what he wanted. Sure, marrying Chi-Chi started off a little rocky ... Okay, maybe that was an understatement. Marrying Chi-Chi had been rocky from the very _start_, even so far as when Gohan had been born. For starters, Goku hadn't expected all of the grabbing and no one told him about the yelling! For the duration of their marriage, that had been what Goku was subjected to - grabbing and yelling.

Yet, as their relationship progressed, Goku grew fond of the grabbing and the yelling - even though it was a wonder that it hadn't damaged his ears - had only (and still) stood for one thing and one thing only; Goku was sure of it.

But that was neither here nor there. It was just nice knowing that he had two people to back him in his decision in rekindling his marriage with Chi-Chi.

But back to the matter at hand; Goku really felt like using his Instant Transmission and hightailing it out of Kame House. Unfortunately, when it came to his friends, he _always_ valued their opinions. He just wasn't expecting to get bombarded by two of his dearest friends at the _same_ _time_, the same ones that drunk themselves into a stupor not too long ago, Yamcha and Oolong specifically (apparently, they were listening in on his and Krillin's conversation ... _rude_). Goku could only be thankful that Master Roshi was still dozing off while he was being interrogated. Two people were enough, but a third wheel would be downright _brutal_!

"Goku, don't do it!"

"Man, think about it before you jump the gun like last time!"

"Hasn't that woman caused you enough grief already!"

That had been what Goku had endured for the duration of the past ten minutes. He was almost positive that the beer still held a choke hold over his friends, Yamcha especially. For as long as Goku had known Oolong, the porker had always had something to complain about, so hearing him voice his qualms about Chi-Chi didn't exactly come as a surprise to him. Yamcha on the other hand ... was it just Goku or did the scar-faced fighter seem a bit ... _bitter_?

Goku wasn't sure, so he dropped the allegation.

Besides, it's not like they were letting him get a word in anyway and they were _drunk_! Even now, the goofy fighter could only sit with his arms folded over the table whilst Yamcha and Oolong listed 1001 reasons on why remarrying Chi-Chi was a bad idea.

At the moment, Goku could only thank the heavens for Krillin! From the moment Yamcha and Oolong had awaken, Krillin had been working on a way to alleviate the interrogation or, as the monk had so dramatically put it, the scream fest. So while Krillin was busy working on preparing some food for the drunkards in an attempt to sober them up, Goku was left alone to face the duo. And he could feel a headache coming on.

"I'm telling you, Goku," Oolong blurted, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're practically committing suicide by going through with this! Hasn't that crazy woman tortured you enough!"

Yamcha nodded his head in agreement. "_Exactly_. Isn't that the whole reason you took a year to come back home after Namek? To avoid Chi-Chi?"

Goku opened his mouth to protest, but Oolong interjected. "Of course that's why! I'd stay away for _more_ than a year if I knew I'd be getting an _earful _when I came home!"

"Don't you guys have anything _positive_ to say?" came Krillin's voice as he joined the three males, while carrying two trays of ramen and bottles of water. Goku tossed him a thankful grin.

Oolong snorted. "Look, all I'm saying is that he should give it a little more thought before marrying her again. I mean, Goku would probably still be single right now if it weren't for Chi-Chi, _right_, Goku?"

Goku chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. "_Well_ ..."

Krillin shook his head as he placed the trays on the table; Yamcha promptly began devouring his food. "Remind me again why you're taking advice from someone's who's not even _human_," he muttered to Goku, who could only laugh in response.

"Oolong does have a point," Yamcha butted in, gaining the Z-Fighters' attention, excluding Oolong, who grinned at the fact that someone agreed with him before he set to eating his own food. "I mean," the retired baseball player continued after slurping up chopsticks full of noodles. "I'm sure that if it wasn't for that naive promise you made as kids, you'd still be available. As crazy as it sounds, you thought marriage was _food_. She took that promise out of context."

"Exactly!" Oolong agreed, his mouth full of broth. "She swindled you into that! Did she even _love_ you?"

Yamcha shook his head. "I doubt that. She was infatuated with the _idea_ of being married and maybe she still is. That's probably why you're catching so much _hell_ for it! Hell, she thought _I_ wanted to be with her when she was a tyke."

"You sure that has nothing to do with the fact that you _lied_ to her?" Oolong asked with narrowed eyes and an annoyingly sneaky grin.

"I don't believe this," Krillin grumbled before Yamcha could say anything else. "Instead of talking about something that happened nearly three _decades_ ago, let's talk about _now_. Give the man a chance to talk, sheesh!"

Goku's smile increased ten fold. Krillin really was one of the greatest friends he'd ever have. Glad that he wasn't cut off by anymore negativity, Goku asked a question that had been plaguing his mind ever since he'd been bomb rushed by his friends. "Is there any _particular_ reason why you guys don't think I should marry Chi-Chi?"

"Of course!" Oolong said, taking a large breath as he finished the remains of his food. "She guilt you into marriage and now that you guys aren't together anymore, she wants to reel you back in like a fish out of water. It's like you're her property or somethin'."

"You're a man of your word, Goku," Yamcha spoke, placing his bowl onto the table and fixing the warrior with a weak smile. "And she roped you into that and you just couldn't say no. I'm not saying don't marry her," the ex-bandit said, to which Oolong muttered rather loudly "_I am_" only to receive a punch upside the head from the full-headed monk. "Just give it some thought. Don't dive head first into it like you did the first time 'cuz that's exactly what she _wants_ you to do."

"Don't believe me, ask her yourself," the spiky-haired man continued. "Does she care about being with you for _you_ or being with you just to be _married_?"

Goku mulled over what his friends had just said as Yamcha and Oolong proceeded to hound Krillin over another helping of food.

Was that honestly the _only_ reason why people thought he shouldn't marry Chi-Chi? Because they thought she _manipulated_ him into it?

Sure, he had forgot about her and the vow that he made when they were children, and sure, he had (and still does have) a habit of making promises, no matter how inane they are, but Goku didn't think Chi-Chi manipulated him. Not at all. She didn't _make_ him marry her. He _chose_ to marry her on his own. And again, even though their marriage had been rocky due to the fact that Goku had no idea what it was and Chi-Chi had this ridiculous image of a perfect marriage that wasn't so perfect painted in her head, they worked through that and in the end, he grew to cherish her more than he did anything in the world.

Goku stored the information he had received in the back of his mind with a mental, albeit sad, smile. He felt like he took two steps forward, only to take two steps back.

Still, he was steadfast in his decision.

A hand on his shoulder knocked him from his reverie and Goku, with his eyebrows askew, turned his head to meet the comforting gaze of his best friend. Yamcha and Oolong had exited to the living area, where man and pig took a seat on the couch whilst they watched television. Fortunately, Master Roshi was _still_ asleep.

"Hey man," Krillin spoke, gesturing a head full of hair in the direction of his guests. "Don't mind those two. They were probably still tipsy from their beer fest earlier. Besides, it's not like Oolong ever has anything positive to say anyway. He's a pig, both in appearance and in essence."

Goku burst into his infectious laughter, a grin taking its place as he finished with a chuckle; however, his eyes shown differently.

Regardless of what Krillin said, Goku thought otherwise. Besides, wasn't the statement true about people who were like that? People spoke how they really felt when they were drunk, right?

...

Anonymous Reviewers:

**Anonymous **- Goku's smile has been doing that lately, lol. Although, lately, I've been finding myself leaning towards Gohan. The wonders of the Son family; they'll make anyone smile. Thanks for reading and reviewing. :D

**tevinssj7** - Aw, I'm glad you like her. Not many people do, so that's nice to hear. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Nh unsigned **- Ha, of course, of course. I'll try. :) Thanks for reading and reviewing.

**Sakura-bell** - Your review caught me off guard, but omigoku! Thanks for taking the time to type out such awesome words and I'm glad you enjoy my stories! Whenever I think of Goku's love for Chi-Chi, I think of nearly every battle he's about to enter. I've noticed a lot that his family (especially Chi-Chi) is the very first thing that crosses his mind. Another scene is when he wakes up from his heart virus; I nearly gushed just watching that entire scene! And, of course I'll show Goten's point of view, lol. I'd never forget to leave out our favorite little half-Saiyan cutie. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, and I hope to see more of your words in the future! :D

**Ghostkid33** - Haha; you'd never know. Sometimes the old ones offer the best advice, no matter how perverted they are. :O I totally wasn't suppose to tell you guys that! XD But I guess it's no secret now. Yes, Goku will be seeking Vegeta for advice. I have a few possible lines teeming in my brain about Vegeta's advice, but in the meantime, we shall see.

**lovers45** - Aw, thanks for reading and reviewing! :D


	7. Feelings

Self-edited; I kinda lost contact with my beta. D: And fanfiction is 'effin with my dashes, so sorry for the over-abundant amount of parentheses.

Big shout out goes to **SierraLarson**!

...

Gohan took a deep, calming breath as he ran a shaky hand over the smoothness of his white head scarf. Currently, he was standing outside of the Satan Residence, his gloved right hand alternating between a clammy fist and a jittery pointed finger as he focused his ebony irises on the steel black gates that framed the beautiful estate of the World Champ and his daughter. He was really debating on whether or not he should return back to Capsule Corp. or follow through with his initial plan of talking to his girlfriend. Did he forget to mention that he was positioned outside of her home as none other than the Great Saiyaman?

He hadn't spoken to Videl since she yelled at him a few days ago and it was eating at his heart like some type of starving parasitic bug. All he knew was that she was angry at him, but for what reason, he had no idea. He tried piecing together the last few words she had barked at him, but it simply wasn't making any sense to him. Everything that she had said had made sense, in a way, but she couldn't seriously be angry at him for disagreeing with her, could she?

Sure, his father had a way of coming off as unappreciative to his mother, but Gohan couldn't deny that Goku cared about her, nor could he deny that he appreciated her either anymore than anyone denied him of being abnormal. Anyone who spoke out against the "unjust" (_seriously, doesn't anyone realize how silly that sounds?_ Gohan thought) relationship of his parents were either completely blind or just didn't know and in this case, Videl just simply didn't know. She had only ever saw bits and fragments of what Goku and Chi-Chi _presented_, but she had never seen with her own eyes just how much those two doted on one another when they were around _just_ each other.

Gohan had caught on more than one occasion the sneaky kisses his father would deliver to his mother when they thought he wasn't looking, the playful nudges they'd send one another when one or the other was in a bad mood, the hugs Goku would give to his mother from behind, the sweet, yet out-of-the-blue "I love yous" they'd murmur back and forth when he and Goten were around.

She never saw those extra food portions Chi-Chi would pile onto Goku's plate. Most people would take for gluttony what was only an act of adoration. She never saw the, as sickening as it is, dreamy stares Chi-Chi and Goku cast one another or the lame jokes Goku would crack about his wife's hair, cooking, smile, or something to that effect just to see her smile that shy smile of hers.

Videl had never witnessed any of that for herself and Gohan supposed that he couldn't blame her for being upset. She had only ever caught one of his father's many infamous disappearing acts and his mother's shrewd attitude over something or another. The loving, not to mention _icky_, reunion atop Kami's Lookout had probably been the only act of love Videl had ever witnessed between his parents, so again, he couldn't blame her for having a negative opinion of their relationship.

But Gohan was hoping he could change all that with a long-winded explanation, as well as with a heartfelt apology for upsetting her, one that he had been working on for the better part of the day. He wasn't too keen with being ignored at school nor was he even a tad bit excited over being sent straight to voicemail after calling her phone day in and day out. The only way he could think of getting any sort of reaction out of her would be if he showed up to her house unannounced. If she didn't want to speak with Son Gohan, then maybe she'd listen to the Great Saiyaman. It was a long shot, but anything was better than nothing right about now.

With another deep breath, the superhero cleared his throat and pressed down on the tiny red button positioned underneath the voice box of the Satan Estate.

And he waited with baited breath.

...

It had been a little over an hour since Goku had left Kame House.

After the warrior had declined another meal from his best friend, he had bid each fighter farewell before he took to the skies in a slow, but steady burst of ki. He hadn't realized how long he'd stayed at Master Roshi's, so the heated gaze from the sun took him by surprise.

Normally, he'd head home after a few hours of training and/or fishing with Gohan and Goten, but he wasn't exactly in the mood to head home just yet. Chi-Chi would probably want to be alone right now anyway and Goku didn't want to upset her anymore than what he already had by showing up. Krillin had suggested that he head on over to Bulma's place if he was seeking out advice. If anyone had a better opinion/outlook on marriage, especially considering _who she was married to_, then it'd certainly be her. Goku had agreed to the idea, for more reasons than one, and immediately set out for the hustle and bustle of West City.

The distinct sounds of the daily traffic jam gave Goku the impression that he was nearing the large urbanized area. What was clear blue skies nipped with white fluff and squawking seagulls, crystal clear ocean waters down below equipped with dancing fish and dolphins evaporated into nothing more than large industrialized city limits surrounded by topples of mountains and cliffs. The honking of cars and the yelling of passerby replaced the birds above, and layers of gray of streets, edifices, and cars swapped out with the waters he'd seen minutes before. Buildings of all sizes, some small, some flat, some large, and some tall, rose into the sky and framed the heavily populated parts of West City.

Tufts of smoke, invisible to the human eye unless thick and laced with chemicals, replaced the once clear and breathable air; yet, Goku was able to make out one of the largest and most popular (as well as one out of many of the Z-Fighters' headquarters) buildings in the city. It was practically the only place he'd ever visit in the city. The blinding yellow of the dome-shaped mansion that was locked within the confines of a large black gate seemed to smile almost as bright as the sun as Goku touched down on the grassy lawn that was Mr. and Mrs. Brief's home.

Not a second after he touched down on the lawn, however, did the front door burst open and out toppled his son with his purple-haired best friend following behind in hot pursuit.

"Daddy!" Goten yelled, rushing into his father's arms with a burst of speed. Taken completely by surprise, Goku tossed the young hybrid a large grin as he caught the bristling young boy in his arms.

"Hey, little man!" Goku greeted, returning his hug with full force.

Goten jumped down from his father's arms and tossed Trunks one of his famous grins. "See! I _told_ you he was comin'! Didn't you feel his ki?"

Trunks rolled his sea blue eyes. "I was in the middle of playing video games," he fired back, but then he grinned. "Just because I don't monitor my parents like a robot doesn't mean I'm not good at sensing energy."

"Hey, guys," Goku interrupted with a chuckle, placing a hand atop Goten's head and ruffling his black locks in a playful gesture. "No more arguing or do I have to separate you two?"

Goten stuck his tongue out at the heir of Capsule Corp. and he turned his attention back to his father, his black eyes shining. "So Dad, what brings you all the way out here? I thought you were with Momma at home."

Goku's smile never faltered as he answered, "I was just stopping by before I headed on home, little guy. Say, have you two seen Bulma?"

Goten and Trunks exchanged looks before they replied in unison, "In the lab."

"Aunt Bulma was working on some _super_ _secret_ _project_, but she kicked us out of her labaratorium. She said it was dangerous and that if we didn't leave, she'd make Uncle Vegeta _train_ us," Goten shuddered. Just the mere thought of being knocked around by a scary Super Saiyan in 100 times Earth's gravity sent chills down the hybrid's spine. It was a good thing they hightailed it out of there before Bulma could call her husband's name.

"Think you can lead the way for me?" Goku asked the two boys, who both nodded eagerly.

"Sure!" Goten yelled, bounding up next to his best friend, who had immediately set for running inside.

"I'll beat you to my mom first!" Trunks hollered, sidestepping Goten's outstretched arms. Goten nearly fell to the ground, but he caught himself just as Trunks ran through the front door.

"Hey! No fair, Trunks!" Goten called back as he chased after the other hybrid.

As their voices dimmed with each leap they took towards Bulma's lab, Goku's smile broadened. It was nice knowing that Goten wasn't in a bad mood, considering what had been going on and he could only be thankful that his two dearest friends offered to take the young Super Saiyan for a few days. It was best that he didn't know what had transpired since he left. It didn't take Goku long to reach Bulma's workshop; of course, it wouldn't be Goku unless he got lost. He had forgotten how large Capsule Corp. actually was. Normally, he'd use his Instant Transmission to appear in Bulma's lab, but he had opted to take the long way instead, thus getting confused as he tried to weaver through the mansion.

A few dead ends and wrong turns, as well as a small snack break later, in which Mrs. Brief offered him a fresh plate of steamy snicker doodles and gingersnaps, Goku was face-to-face with the metal door that hid Bulma away from the world. Goten and Trunks clung to his pants leg in anticipation, and Goku tossed them both a look before he raised a fist to knock on the door. To his surprise, it was already opened, the blinding glow resonating from the lights attached to the ceiling temporarily blinding him when it pushed open. And then came Bulma's annoyed voice.

"I thought I told you two that I didn't want you in here!" she screeched not a second after Goku opened the door, though she hadn't bothered looking up from her work. "Do you _want_ me to call Vegeta down here?" Goten and Trunks shut their eyes and gulped, but before they could retort, Goku spoke, his fist still raised in the same spot it had been since he knocked.

"Uh ..."

Bulma sighed as she pulled the pair of goggles from over her piercing blue eyes, her glove-clad hands slamming what looked to be a broken headset onto her work desk. "Don't tell me you're both hungry _again_ 'cuz I swea- Goku?"

Goku gave the fierce woman a sheepish grin as he scratched the back of his head. "Hey there, Bulma," he greeted, placing both his hands atop the boys' head.

"Hey, Goku," the scientist greeted slowly, her eyes trailing to the fearful children hiding behind her friend's legs. "Don't tell me they manipulated you into getting in here."

"Oh, of course not," Goku said, ruffling the children's hair. "The boys were just showing me the way to the lab, weren't you, Trunks? Goten?"

Both boys nodded their heads in unison.

"That's right!" Goten agreed.

"Yeah, Mom," Trunks said. "It's not like we were trying to sneak a peek at what you were doing or anything, right Goten?" Said boy bobbed his head in agreement, but when they caught the frightening look of Vegeta's wife, they immediately ran back from whence they came, closing the door roughly behind them.

Bulma sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I swear, those two are one in the same. It's _unnerving_ sometimes."

Goku chuckled, his eyes trailing from his friend to the trinket she had been tinkering with and he pointed at it. "What's that you're working on?"

"Oh, this?" the woman asked as she raised the device towards her face as she turned it over and inspected it. "Well, this is Raditz's broken scouter from when he first came to Earth. I remembered it had blown up when we used it to keep tabs on you during your battle with Vegeta before Fortuneteller Baba showed up. I was supposed to have worked on this darn thing ages ago, but I kept putting it off until now, although it looks like it won't be half as good as it used to be. This thing is completely busted."

She placed it on the table and tossed him a half-smile. "But enough about this old thing," Bulma continued. "What brings you to Capsule Corp.? Here to pick up Goten and Gohan?"

Goku quirked an eyebrow at the genius. "Gohan was here?"

Bulma's facial expression now matched Goku's. "He's been here for the past few days now, although he isn't here at the moment. I thought you knew."

"Not exactly," Goku answered truthfully as he scratched the back of his head. "I've been ... uh ... _busy_ for the past few days, so I haven't heard anything about Gohan until today."

"I see," Bulma replied warily, her blue eyes staring Goku down intently. "Is that why you're here?"

Goku gave her one of his many grins, although this one didn't quite reach his eyes. "You know?" he asked, glad that he didn't have to explain his situation for a third time today.

"Krillin called," was Bulma's two word answer as she gestured to one of the many seats scattered across the laboratory. Goku took her offer with his same grin and he sat down, his stomach bubbling in anxiety. "So, you and Chi-Chi really aren't married anymore?" Bulma asked, prodding at the broken scouter on her desk.

Goku nodded his head. "It looks that way. I talked to some of the gang earlier today and some think that I should marry Chi-Chi, some ... not so much; I don't know. What do you think?"

Bulma hummed to herself for a moment, her eyes still trained on the alien device. "Honestly, Goku, what do _you_ think?"

Goku arched an eyebrow.

Said woman merely laughed at her dear friend and she made eye contact with him as she waved off the question. "As a mother, I'd say stay with her. I can't imagine how Goten and Gohan would feel knowing that their parents aren't together. Gohan, I'm sure, is old enough to handle it, but Goten is just so _young_. This is the first time in seven years that he's had his parents together. I'd hate to see that get torn away from him over something like this."

"Wait," Goku said, stopping Bulma before she could go any further. "Aren't you and Vegeta married?"

Bulma laughed again, the random question taking her by surprise. "Well, not exactly, but it's not like that's something we go crazy over. Considering all the things he's been through and plus having to deal with the androids, Cell and Majin Buu, I don't expect him to marry me anytime soon and I'm perfectly okay with that. I mean, it's not like we don't love each other or anything."

"Oh," was the only syllable Goku could form. It was something about the way Bulma phrased her answer that gave the Saiyan the impression that she wasn't telling the whole truth, but he dismissed it. He didn't know why, but he always figured that Bulma and Vegeta got married while he was dead. But looking on it now, he supposed it would've been hard to imagine Vegeta getting down on one knee with a ring asking Bulma for her hand. The thought almost made Goku laugh out loud.

"But back to your problem," Bulma reminded him. "Maybe if this kind of thing were brought up way back when we were younger, I'd tell you no. I've always had such a negative view of Chi-Chi; I mean, all she seemed to do was yell at you, and Gohan ...," she trailed off, her eyes skirting towards the scouter on the table again. "But over these past few years, I've bonded with your wife and it was nice knowing that I had someone to relate to, considering that we don't exactly have normal men or about as normal as you can get anyway."

Goku chuckled in response.

Bulma took a deep breath. "Chi-Chi is one hell of a woman and I imagine you being the only one capable of handling someone of her caliber. Trust me when I say that. She reminds me of myself in more ways than one. The guys might think she gets on your ass for no reason, but you aren't exactly all smiles and no flaws, buddy."

Goku gave Bulma a sheepish grin and she returned it with a smile of her own.

"Chi-Chi's stayed faithful to you while you were gone for seven years. _Seven years_, Goku," Bulma emphasized. "Imagine how you'd feel if she remarried while you were dead; and there's been plenty of people that have been wanting to marry her. But you know what she did?" Bulma asked Goku, who shook his head "no".

"She _declined_ because there's only _one_ man good enough for her; she said so herself," Bulma answered, recalling a particular memory where Chi-Chi had ranted about a marriage proposal from some idiot in a far off kingdom. "How would you feel if she accepted any of those proposals?"

Goku's heart ached at the mere _thought_ of Chi-Chi moving on. She was one of the few people on the planet that kept him sane and if he ever lost her ... he wouldn't know how he'd react.

Bulma took Goku's facial expression into consideration and she tossed him a friendly smile. "I'm not married, so I'd tell you it doesn't matter. If you love each other, shouldn't _that_ be all that matters? So, I'll ask you again; what do _you_ think? Or better yet, how do you _feel_? And I want you to _really_ think about it."

Her last question had gave the warrior something to think about.

How _did_ he feel about remarrying Chi-Chi?

...

Videl wanted to die. Literally.

Three days of ignoring her boyfriend had turned out to be quite the challenge and her steely resolve to stay pissed at him dwindled into nothingness as they sat on the front porch of her home.

Erasa had been one of the best distractions she'd ever had in her entire life. The blond really knew how to keep a person occupied when they didn't want to be bothered. It was, quite frankly, a living hell walking in the opposite direction whenever she saw Gohan coming towards her. It was bad enough that they sat near each other in nearly every class they took together. It was unnerving to walk down the hall where she'd catch fleeting glances of that pained look on his face just before she passed him up. It was heart-wrenching just _thinking_ about him, but she supposed that this sort of thing had to happen sooner or later.

She just wished it didn't have to happen so soon, especially while he was dressed as his superhero counterpart and _especially_ while Majin Buu _monitored_ them.

Apparently her father got the idea that the Great Saiyaman wanted to do more than just _talk_ with her and while Videl had assured her father that she wouldn't _possibly_ do _anything_ with the hero, he _still_ gave her a chaperone. She just wanted to know why it had to be someone (or _something_) that was just as big and just as powerful and just as _awkward _as her own boyfriend. Majin Buu didn't know a single thing about male-female relations. Hell, he barely understood a basic friendship!

However, that didn't keep the loveable, yet deadly pink man-child-creature-_thing_ from holding to his best friend's promise. Videl imagined the scenario quite clearly, her cheeks flaming an indignant pink at the casual way Buu agreed to this entire thing.

_"Now Buu, I want you to make sure that freak with the shades doesn't lay a finger on my daughter, understand? Why, I don't even want them within two feet of each other! If he tries any funny business, I want you to kick his tail all the way to kingdom-come!"_

_Majin Buu scratched his head with an enlarged finger as he answered in that high-pitched, nonchalant voice of his, "Buu don't quite understand, but Buu do."_

This would be the one time Videl wished that her father knew the Great Saiyaman's identity, but she highly doubted that it would've made a difference. Majin Buu would still be seated awkwardly between them with his hands placed gently on his lap and his over-sized golden boots rocking to and fro as he kicked his feet. Then he'd peel those beady little eyes open at Gohan and observe him, his gargantuan pink body blocking them from each others' view. As innocent and loving and kind and sweet and gentle as Buu was, he was still quite intimidating, _especially_ when he opened his eyes.

Gohan was the first to clear his throat.

"So ... uh ... Videl?"

"Bandanna Man call Videl "_Miss_" Videl," Majin Buu corrected, not bothering to make eye contact with Gohan as he continued to kick his feet.

Videl resisted the urge to slap a palm to her face as her cheeks set ablaze.

"Right," Gohan replied hastily as he coughed into his hand. "Miss Videl, I'm so-"

Gohan caught himself. If Majin Buu was anything like Videl said he was, then apologizing directly to her while he was in their presence would definitely bring about a chaotic situation. He was even more protective of Mr. Satan's daughter than the man was himself and the last thing Gohan needed was to be interrogated by the most non-human - not to mention scariest - creature in the face of the universe. He racked his brain for any possible outlets that he could use to talk to Videl and so far, the only things he came up with were telepathy, talking regularly, and speaking on behalf of his "friend".

Telepathy was ruled out, simply because Videl didn't know how to use it. Plus, Gohan was _positive_ that Majin Buu could pick up on brain waves. And talking regularly was a definite no-go. As silly of a creature as Majin Buu was, Gohan was sure that the pink blob would run and tell his best friend everything that transpired between Videl and himself. Plus, he didn't want to risk revealing his identity. Friends and family were the only ones who needed to know and Gohan was planning on keeping it that way for as long as he lived. That left him with his last, not to mention his most embarrassing option - talking in third-person.

This would've been so much easier if their unwanted guest wasn't present!

Gohan coughed into his hand again, his cheeks tingeing pink. "Vide- er, _Miss_ Videl, my _friend,_" he emphasized, hoping to Kami that she'd catch on to his plan. "Wanted to ... apologize to you, but he ... um ... couldn't make it," Gohan finished lamely.

For awhile, it was silent, only the sound of Majin Buu's casual humming filling the void. Videl quirked an eyebrow at her boyfriend's odd behavior, but something clicked inside of her head and she immediately understood what he was doing.

She replied, "Why is your friend apologizing? Does he even know why he's apologizing in the first place?"

For a brief second, Gohan and Videl's eyes skirted towards the main source of their trouble, hoping against all odds that he wasn't catching on to anything they were saying. So far, so good.

"Well," Gohan answered as he scratched his head. "Perhaps I ... _he_ may have been a little ... careless when he disagreed with you. He didn't mean to upset you, but if you give me ... _him_ a chance, I- _he'll_ be able to explain."

Videl didn't say anything for a few seconds and Gohan was starting to get the feeling that she was going to tell him no, but he nearly breathed a sigh of relief when she said, "I'm listening."

Majin Buu was still as clueless as ever and that was just perfect.

"Your friend ... he wasn't sure if he hit a sensitive subject when he talked about his parents, but he hoped that he didn't and if he did, he's really, _really_ sorry," Gohan indirectly apologized, his voice sincere.

Videl didn't answer him, so Gohan took a deep, shaky breath and continued, his shielded eyes shifting to his watch.

"His parents have been through a lot, more than you could ever know, but they love each other. A _lot_. Your friend's father may seem thoughtless, unappreciative, and selfish, but everything he's ever done has been for his family, _especially_ his wife. And your friend's mother ... in a nut shell, she's crazy." This earned Gohan a giggle and he found himself smiling. "But she'd do anything for her husband, even _die_ for him. Just like two other people we know," Gohan continued, referring to himself and Videl. "Your friend understands that you're mad at him, but can you ever forgive me- I mean, _him_?"

Videl was almost thankful that Majin Buu's pudgy body blocked Gohan from her view. How could she be mad at him in the first place, especially when he knew his own parents better than she did? She supposed it wasn't fair of her to compare her father and her mother to Goku and Chi-Chi. She didn't know the full story behind either of their relationship, including her own parents and she'd definitely have to ask next time before she made a bold accusation like that. It made her feel all the more guilty for yelling at him and Videl was more than thankful that Gohan was the one to apologize. Kami knows her pride would never let her do such a thing.

Videl smiled. "Ask your friend, what took him so long?"

Gohan smiled too as he released a breath he didn't know he held. "He's sorry for that too."

"Apology accepted, idiot. And ... I'm sorry too," she mumbled.

And they both laughed.

Between them both, Buu sat with a confused look on his face.

Did he just miss something?

...

I'm not sure if Bulma and Vegeta married during the seven year gap, but for the sake of the story, let's just pretend that they didn't.

Anonymous Reviewers:

**Ghostkid33** - Thanks for reading and reviewing! Let's hope that Goku makes the right decision.

**Nh unsigned** - :D Of course I mention my reviewers. You guys took the time out to read and review, and I greatly appreciate it.

**Kaiya** - Rofl, I'll take your idea into consideration my friend. XD Videl and Gohan are only in high school. I'm sure they aren't focused on marrying; they're only teenagers after all. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D


	8. Realization

Self-edited to the best of my ability. Sorry for the near two month long hiatus; writer's block, school, work, _SLEEP_, and now a broken laptop - I'm tired as hell ... enjoy.

...

_Meanwhile_ ...

Chi-Chi rubbed her hands together, her nerves completely jumbled as she paced back and forth on the wooden surface of the kitchen floor. Her ebony tresses were askew and her rumpled yellow cheongsam held more worry lines than her own skin. Lunch - or rather what was _supposed_ to have been lunch - had gotten cold more than a few hours ago and though Chi-Chi was more than positive that her husband would've returned before noon to devour his meal, his absence had caused her to shove everything into the oven.

Over the span of the past few hours, Chi-Chi hadn't gotten anything accomplished. Since Goku had straightened up the house earlier that morning, it only left her with cooking and since the meal had been prepared and later got cold due to the absentee fingers of the universe's savior, it left the housewife with absolutely nothing to do but ... _wait_. Her frenzied nerves wouldn't allow her to sit still and while she had doted on herself, making sure that she was as spotless as the house itself for Goku's return, she couldn't help but pull out the cleaning supplies and sanitize _something _when more than an hour had passed.

She didn't know why she was so worried when often in the past that was what she mainly did - wait. She waited for Goku's return for holy matrimony; she waited a year for his return after his death by the hands of his arch-rival-turned-friend; she waited for his return from Namek after nearly two years; hell, she even waited for his return after seven long years of separation even though at the time there _were no_ plans of him _ever_ coming back! So what, pray tell, made this instance any different than the lasts?

Maybe it was the guilt, the same guilt that had been nibbling away at her heart for the past few days. That pained expression was the last thing she had seen of Goku after her accusation and it only made her feel more and more worse as time went by. Was he ever going to return? Did he want to be with her after that terrible outburst? A heavy part, the more rational part of her told her that she was just being silly. It wasn't as if things like this hadn't happened before.

Their relationship was more rocky than the earthquakes the Z-Fighters caused, so again, what made this instance any different? Chi-Chi found herself yelling at her husband more than once a day, but it wasn't as if she never had a reason for _not_ yelling at him. Having the purest man in the universe for a husband was like a double-edged sword; it cut both ways.

Chi-Chi didn't realize the extent of what she was getting herself into when she uttered those two little words at the alter. All her life, she had envisioned Goku as this embodiment of perfection incapable of flaws and faults, but when she married him, she learned that his purity, his innocence, his naivete was perhaps one of the biggest flaws he'd ever possess. He had no previous knowledge of the world other that what she and his friends had ever taught him; he was a Saiyan warrior, a savior, inside and out, and it had only dawned on Chi-Chi when and after he had died for the second time. That was why she had mellowed out; that was why she trained Goten and allowed Gohan to train; that was why she wasn't as bitter about his lifestyle as she used to be. She had finally learned, after all those years, to accept that Goku was a Saiyan and she could only wonder what life would be like if he wasn't.

Fighting was in his blood; he craved battle almost as much as Bulma's husband did and she could never change that about him. It was a vicious cycle, Chi-Chi used to think; for however much stronger Goku became, an equally or even more powerful opponent would grace the headlines and he'd have to go, because 9 times out of 10, he was the only one who could do something about it. Telling Goku not to train was like inviting an enemy to their doorstep and though Chi-Chi wished that it wasn't that way, it had to be that way; yet, as frustrating as his innocence and sense of justice was sometimes, it was probably one of the things Chi-Chi loved the most about him.

When he had parted away from the Earth and informed the family of his stay in Otherworld, Chi-Chi could only think that it was her fault for him doing so. Did he leave because of the way she treated Gohan? Did he leave because of how much she used to yell at him? Did he leave because she would nitpick on how terrible of a husband he was? About how he never got a job, never did anything besides fight, eat, and leave? Did he leave her because he simply didn't _love_ her? Day in and day out, she would ask herself such pitiable things; however, each thought came to a screeching halt when Goten was born and that was when Chi-Chi finally understood it all.

Shame on her for thinking that Goku didn't love her. As much as he enjoyed fighting and battling, how could she even think that Goku didn't care? He was always such a long-term person, never one to ponder on the here and now, but always one to think ahead and he probably would've never left if he didn't think it was for the best. Oh, how he must've felt when he even _suggested_ staying in Otherworld, knowing that he would never be able to return not only for the protection of the world, but more importantly, for the sake his wife and sons. Despite the fact that Goku always wore his heart on his sleeve, only Chi-Chi knew that half the time it was a mask.

Her pacing came to a standstill and Chi-Chi released a breath of air. What was the point in her even thinking any of these things? As frustrating as he was sometimes, she knew more than anyone that Goku loved her and though she knew she was more than a handful as per the eyes of his friends as well as herself, she knew she couldn't live without him (even if she had done so on more than one occasion), so what was there to even think about?

"This is so _infuriating_," the widow thought aloud with a moan. _If only Goku were home right now ..._

Come to think of it, where was he anyway? In the note he left, he said he'd be going to Krillin's house and even though Kame House is a ways away from Mount Paozu, it shouldn't take him that long to return, right? Surely, Goku wasn't _really_ planning on leaving her, right? Chi-Chi shook her head and frowned. Now wasn't the time to be thinking of such trivial things! It was time for her to stop moping, get her act together and save what little she had left of her marriage before someone else decided to screw it up even more!

Chi-Chi made a mental note that if she ever saw Sir Suita again, she'd make sure to punch him square in the face. After all, he _was_ the reason they were even going through this in the first place.

With new found determination blazing in her coal irises, Chi-Chi took one final, albeit nervous breath as she curled her fists. "_Son_ _Chi-Chi_," she berated in a tone similar to one she'd use when scolding her sons and husband, her pupils set ablaze.

"You don't mope! You don't whine, you don't cry, and you certainly aren't helpless! You're a princess! You scream and yell and pout and throw tantrums to get your way, and you'll be damned if you let the best thing that's ever happened to you slip right through your fingers! Now, you're gonna march your butt right down to the adviser's office and _demand_ that he fix your marriage!"

Seemingly satisfied with her thunderous pep talk, Chi-Chi smoothed out the wrinkles in her yellow dress and flattened the mischievous tresses threatening to pool from her bun before she made her way towards the front exit. Without a second thought, Chi-Chi swung open the wooden door; however, her face fell and her fiery tenacity was reduced to mere ashes as the housewife was left sputtering and tripping over her words in a thoughtless babble.

"M-Mr. Visor?" she stammered with widened eyes as her cheeks set afire. "W-what are you doing here?" _Oh, Kami, _please_ tell me he did not hear any of that!_ she thought as she caught the crazed expression on his face.

Said man's fist was raised nervously in midair as his attempt to knock had been foiled and a weak smile curled on the edges of his lips as he dropped it to his side. "Good evening, Lady Chi-Chi," he greeted with a bow.

"Good evening," she returned embarrassingly, bowing in hopes of hiding her flushed face. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Visor ran a hand over his balding mane as he took a deep breath. He adverted his teal eyes away from hers for a split second before he gave her a strained lopsided smile. A wave of tension settled over them and before Chi-Chi could address the adviser, he spoke.

"Pardon the intrusion, Milady. I know how much you detest unannounced visits, but I simply couldn't put this off any longer." He paused, making eye contact with the heiress before he continued. "I remember you telling me to come prepared the next time I visit, but the truth is, I've been prepared before you kicked me out of your house ... I just didn't know how to tell you."

Another wave of silence ruptured over the two as embarrassment over the memory coursed through Chi-Chi's veins. If it weren't for the casual way Visor had worded his sentence, Chi-Chi might've taken it as an insult, but coupled with his guarded expression and her anxiety, she paid it no mind. Besides, she was still too embarrassed over her boisterous pep talk to ponder on it.

"May I come inside?" he finally asked.

Chi-Chi didn't know whether or not she should've been happy or angry at his visit, so she did what she did best when dealing with compromising problems; she smiled. The mere thought of this whole marriage fiasco being over made the woman near-ecstatic, but for some odd reason, the way Visor voiced his words made her feel slightly shaken up, scared almost. Chi-Chi nearly shook her head at the thought; there was no more time for moping and crying, remember?

"Please, do enter," she said, peeling the door open for her visitor. Despite her smile, however, she just couldn't shake away the terrible sensation brimming in her belly.

...

In the few hours that Goku had finished talking with Bulma, he had decided that it was finally time for him to venture home. Time had passed by faster than the warrior realized, though being in his friend's window-free lab was the blame for it, and Goku found himself wanting to be near his wife again. Of all the advice he had received today, Bulma's advice left his brain tinkering the most, yet somewhere in the back of his mind, Yamcha and Oolong's accusations of Chi-Chi only caring for marriage and not for him surfaced every now and again.

As the hero waltzed the maze-like halls of Capsule Corp., he could only think of just how wrong his two friends were. Sure, Chi-Chi took that promise that he made out of context and barreled into his life with her sights set on being with him, but all that did was make Goku feel wanted. Of all people Chi-Chi could've married, of all the people she could've _spent the rest of her life with_, avoiding heartbreak, separations and death, she chose him! She chose an orphaned Saiyan who knew nothing outside of the little hut in the confines of Mount Paozu as her husband-to-be.

She was a princess; there were so many other choices, _better _choices out there for her! She could've chosen someone with a job, someone who was smarter, someone who could've given her the things she wanted out of life. She even could've remarried, although Goku was absolutely repulsed, _mortified_ even, by the idea of _his_ wife marrying someone else, but she didn't. She wanted him and Goku would've had to be just plain stupid not to realize that for himself.

A smile tugged on his lips at the thought.

So distracted was the hero that he failed to notice the only other full-blooded Saiyan in the universe walking opposite of him and they bumped into one another. Goku blinked confusedly as he was knocked from his thoughts and his eyes fell on the scowling prince in front of him.

"Why don't you watch where you're going, clown," Vegeta remarked callously as he began to sidestep Goku.

Still slightly dazed from his collision with his friend, Goku's previous smile broadened and he said rather happily, "Oh, hey, Vegeta! I almost forgot that you lived here since I haven't seen you at all today."

"Lucky me," Vegeta muttered, swiping the white towel draped over his shoulders across his forehead. Silence ruptured over the duo, putting Vegeta on edge, especially when he caught the idiotic expression on his rival's face. He was hoping against all odds that he wouldn't run into Kakarot at all today, but the gods just insisted on screwing him over (as always).

When more than a minute had passed, Vegeta's scowl had deepened and he barked, "Spit it out already!" He was already exhausted from a day of training and coupled with the fact that he had to babysit two hellions and a moronic teenager today, he wasn't planning on nor did he want to add a fourth child on his list of things to do.

When Goku finally opened his mouth to speak, Vegeta held up a gloved hand and cut him off. "On second thought Kakarot, I don't want to know."

"But you didn't even let me say anything!" Goku whined, causing Vegeta to roll his eyes.

"There's no need," the prince stated, baffling Goku. "If it has anything to do with the fact that you've spent more than half the day flying around like some adolescent teenager, then I'm sure it's something stupid."

Goku laughed as he waved off Vegeta's insult. "Oh, come on, Vegeta. You know that's not true."

"Oh, is it now?" Vegeta questioned, crossing his arms over his chest and gracing his rival with a cocky smirk. "Humor me then, Kakarot. Your brats have been here for the past two days going on three and instead of being home with your woman, you're busy zipping around like some confused cockroach which means she's either got you running some absurd errand or she kicked you out. As I'm sure that you have the attention span of a brick, I know you aren't running errands. You have no intention of collecting your spawn, so the only logical explanation of you being here is over something stupid."

"I wouldn't call my marriage with Chi-Chi stupid, Vegeta," Goku countered with a slight frown, but it easily slipped into a lopsided smile when he saw Vegeta roll his eyes again.

"Right," Vegeta replied gruffly. "Because being put out of your house over some ludicrous piece of paper isn't your idea of stupid."

Goku blinked. "Wait, how did you kno-"

"Your brat doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut," Vegeta answered before Goku could finish his question. "I've spent the better part of yesterday listening to him whine to Trunks about it." The prince released a deep breath as he removed the towel from around his neck and he prepared to walk down the hall again; however, before he left, he stopped shoulder-to-shoulder at Goku, the warm hues from the setting sun outside the window washing over the them. It nearly made Vegeta's scowl appear softer than usual.

"Listen Kakarot; I know you came over here in hopes of attaining some sort of advice on your idiotic relationship with your woman, but I'm here to tell you that you're wasting your time. You don't need me or anyone else telling you something that you yourself should've realized a long time ago. Of course, knowing you, you'd need someone to spell it out for you. Now if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop traipsing around like some lovesick puppy. Your depressing ki is giving me a headache."

And with that said, Vegeta began to make his way down the hall again. Goku stood rooted in place as Vegeta's footsteps filtered into his ears and the warrior found himself grinning a mile-wide smile as he turned around to face the prince.

"For what's it worth Vegeta, I think you should marry Bulma too!"

Vegeta paused mid-step as the corner of his lip twitched; yet, it didn't last long and the prince continued to march down the corridor until he was out of Goku's sight completely. The Saiyan continued to stare into the dimly lit void, his smile still glued in place until it dawned on him that he didn't know his way of out Capsule Corp. Immediately, Goku ambled down the hall after Vegeta with a frantic wave of his arms.

"Hey, Vegeta, wait up! I need you to show me the way out of here!"

It didn't take long for Goku to find his way to the front; however, this did not go by without him being berated on his lack of common sense by Vegeta. Honestly, what was the point of possessing the Instant Transmission if he wasn't going to use it? From where he stood, he could see the oversize television playing some cartoon movie or another with Goten and Trunks stretched out on the floor in their pajamas behind a barricade of couch pillows and junk food.

The warrior had a fleeting thought to leave the duo be, but his thoughts were cut short when Goten turned around. Immediately, his face lit up and he nudged Trunks in the side as he muttered something to him. With annoyance flashing across his face, the heir to Capsule Corp. begrudgingly paused the film and he watched as Goten hopped from his spot on the floor towards his father with nothing short of a smile.

"Hey, Dad!" the little fireball greeted as he reached up to hug his father.

Goku chuckled as he knelt to his son's height and returned it. "Hey, buddy. Havin' fun?"

"I sure am!" Goten answered, pulling back and directing a quick gaze towards the pile of half-eaten snacks on the floor before turning back to Goku. "Trunks' grandma brought us a bunch of movies. She even got us our favorite snacks!"

"Hey, don't eat too many sweets now," Goku scolded lightly with a smile, placing a hand atop his son's head. "You and I both know your mother wouldn't like that."

Goten nodded his head. "I won't," he said, looking towards the floor while he quietly shuffled his feet and twiddled his thumbs together, his smile evaporating into a guilty look. Goku quirked an eyebrow as he rested his elbows on his knees, remarking on how fast his son's emotions altered.

Concern filled his ebony irises and the Saiyan asked seriously, "What's the matter, Goten?"

Goten nibbled on his bottom lip and he found himself staring into the eyes of his father as he asked, "Are you and Momma mad at me?"

If Goku's eyebrows could skyrocket past his hairline, then they most certainly would have. "No, of course not," Goku answered. "What would make you think something like that?"

"Well, it's just that," Goten stammered, adverting his eyes again. "When I read that paper the other day, Momma started yellin' at you and cryin' and stuff," he said as his nose slowly evolved to red, his glassy eyes filling with tears. "Is it my fault you got yelled at? Are you and Momma gonna break up?"

"No," Goku immediately answered. Goten, on the other hand, didn't buy it as he swiped his forearm across his face, fresh tears coating his too-large pajama sleeve.

This situation was all-too-familiar to Goku as he was instantly reminded of Gohan.

He used to think the exact same thing, especially when he and Chi-Chi argued with one another. He would burst into a fit of tears and it'd normally take both of them to calm him down and reassure him that they weren't going to separate. Goten, however, was a new breed all on his own and Goku supposed that he couldn't fault him for thinking such a thought. As Bulma told him, this was the first time he's ever had both his parents together, so what passed as an everyday thing for the old family of three didn't apply to the newest addition to the family.

Goku took a deep breath and he placed a hand atop Goten's head again, halting the boy in his quiet sniffles. "Look, Goten," his father said in a warm tone as a soft smile crossed his lips; Goten brought his tear-filled gaze to his father once again, sniffling back a nose full of mucus.

With his smile still in place, Goku took the rim of his orange gi and wiped away his son's tears. "Blow," he commanded, placing it over Goten's nose. The boy did as he was told and blew; regardless of the amount of gunk that came from his nose, Goku paid it no mind as he asked, "All better?"

Goten nodded his head.

"Good," Goku said, pulling the boy into his arms for a firm hug, careful to avoid the boogers coating his gi. "Nothing is your fault, 'kay, kiddo?" Goten nodded his head in his father's shoulder. "Your mother and I aren't going to break up. Besides, you and I both know that she'd _kill_ me before she lets that happen, right?" he asked, earning himself a short-lived giggle from the child in his arms.

"Really?" Goten mumbled into his father's shoulder with a sniffle.

"_Really_," Goku affirmed, ruffling his son's hair again and earning himself another giggle. "Now, I gotta go or else your mother really _will_ kill me, so I'll see you in a few days, alright?"

Goten pulled back and nodded his head with a well-placed smile. "Okay!" he answered with a little more bounce in his voice than earlier as he wiped away the tear stains in his face.

"Now, go have fun with Trunks," Goku said, turning Goten around and giving his son a small, affectionate push in the back towards his friend. "And don't stay up too late!"

"'Kay!" the look-a-like chirped, taking his seat back on the floor with Trunks.

Finally, the savior of the universe stood up from his place on the floor, directing one final, reassuring smile towards his son before he set for the front door and with a boisterous good-bye to the residents of Capsule Corp., Goku exited the mansion and took off in a burst of ki towards his home in the secluded area of Mount Paozu with nothing or no one but his wife on his mind.

...

As the cool night's breeze combed harmlessly through Goku's hair, he found his thoughts lingering on the very woman he was rushing home to see: Chi-Chi - _his wife_. Goku half-wondered why he didn't just propose to her on the spot. How could he have been so ... so _stupid_? There shouldn't have been anything to think about! He loved Chi-Chi; he loved her like crazy and it shouldn't have taken him nearly a week to figure out something that he should've realized in less than a few seconds.

Goku remembered when they were first wed; Chi-Chi would sit in her rocking chair as she wove together a well-crafted sweater or a ripped shirt just for him. He remembered when he got a bruise or a scratch from training day in and day out, and she'd scold him on his reckless behavior; yet, no less than a few seconds later would she pry open the first aid kit and tend to his wounds, placing a chaste kiss wherever needed. He remembered when Gohan was born - Goku would never forget the time when Chi-Chi yelled at him for building a nest (he'd honestly thought babies were born from eggs) - and how she'd place his larger hands over her ever-growing belly to feel a kick or a toss and a turn.

He remembered when he was rendered completely useless, encased in bandages after his gruesome battle against Vegeta, and how Chi-Chi doted on him when not even the doctors and nurses could handle him. He remembered their tearful reunion after his return from Namek, he remembered being held after discovering he killed his grandpa or when he'd have nightmares, the many passionate nights after Namek and before Cell. He remembered it all.

With a larger-than-life smile in place, Goku finally touched down on the never-ending grass that was the lawn of his home. He could already imagine things now. He'd walk through the door and Chi-Chi would be preparing dinner, chopping a handful of vegetables before dumping them into a pot of bubbling broth, all the while trekking throughout the kitchen as she stirred this and seasoned that.

He'd tiptoe from behind and engulf her in one out of many of his bone-crushing hugs; then, he'd set a trail of loving butterfly kisses down her neck before trying to sneak a taste of a meal not yet prepared, only to get to get hit with a kitchen utensil - often times a wooden spoon - before she'd begrudgingly allow him a nibble. They'd eat dinner, he'd propose, and then everything would go back to normal.

_Yeah_, Goku thought peeling open the front door and allowing the light from within to swallow him whole, completely unaware of what had taken place just hours before he came home.

...

Anonymous Reviewers:

**Just a reader** - Thanks for reading and reviewing. Lol, no, Goku didn't propose to her with the Four Star Dragon Ball in any episode. It's only apart of the story. Trust me, if he did, I'd definitely tell you, haha. I'd probably lose my mind if he did that in the manga/anime.

**tevinssj7** - Lol, you'll see. Nice observation though. :) Thanks for reading and reviewing.


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